THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


SI  KLEGG: 


BOOK  No,  4 


PUBLISHED   BY  THE   NATIONAL   TRIBUNE,   WASHINGTON,   D.  C. 


/ 


.  1  9 


'ANNABEL,  HOW   PURTY   YOU  LOOK." 
(CHAPTER  xiu.) 


SI   KLEGO 


EXPERIENCES  OF  Si  AND  SHORTY  ON  THE 
GREAT  TULLAHOMA  CAMPAIGN. 


BY  JOHN  MCELROY. 


PUBLISHED     BY 

THE     NATIONAL    TRIBUNE    CO., 
WASHINGTON,    D.    C. 


SECOND      EDITION — ENLARGED      AND      REV 

COPYRIGHT     IQIO 
BY     THE     NATIONAL     TRIBUNE     CO. 


11  JO 


PREFACE 

"Si  Klegg,  of  the  200th  Ind.,  and  Shorty,  his 
Partner,"  were  born  years  ago  in  the  brain  of  John 
McElroy,  Editor  of  THE  NATIONAL  TRIBUNE. 

These  sketches  are  the  original  ones  published  in 
THE  NATIONAL  TRIBUNE,  revised  and  enlarged  some 
what  by  the  author.  How  true  they  are  to  nature 
every  veteran  can  abundantly  testify  from  his  own 
service.  Really,  only  the  name  of  the  regiment  was 
invented.  There  is  no  doubt  that  there  were  several 
men  of  the  name  of  Josiah  Klegg  in  the  Union 
Army,  and  who  did  valiant  service  for  the  Govern 
ment.  They  had  experiences  akin  to,  if  not  identical 
with,  those  narrated  here,  and  substantially  every 
man  who  faithfully  and  bravely  carried  a  musket  in 
defense  of  the  best  Government  on  earth  had  some 
times,  if  not  often,  experiences  of  which  those  of  Si 
Klegg  are  a  strong  reminder. 

THE  PUBLISHERS. 


550i>46 


THIS      IS      NUMBER     FOUR 

OF     THE 
SI     KLEGG     SERIES. 


CONTENTS.  XI 


CONTENTS 

PAGE. 

CHAPTER  I. — The  Tullahoma  Campaign;  On  to  Duck  River; 

"Only  25  Miles  to  Shelbyville." 15 

CHAPTER  II. — The  Balky  Mules ;  Suggestions  Galore ;  "Shel 
byville  Only  18  Miles  Away." 23 

CHAPTER  III. — Third  Day  of  the  Deluge;  Toilsome  Plod 
ding,  and  "Shelbyville  Only  15  Miles  Away." 34 

CHAPTER  IV. — The  Fourth  Day  of  the  Tullahoma  Campaign ; 

"Shelbyville  Only  10  Miles  Away." 47 

CHAPTER  V. — Afloat  on  a  Log;  Si,  Shorty  and  the  West 

Pointer  Have  an  Eventful  Journey 59 

CHAPTER  VI. — Distressing  Enemies  Other  Than  the  Rebels, 
and  Rain,  Mud,  and  Swollen  Streams 72 

CHAPTER  VII. — The  Exciting  Advance  jTullahoma,  the  Great 

Battle  That  Did  Not  Come  Off 86 

CHAPTER  VIII. — The  Glorious  Fourth;  Independence  Day 

Fun  on  the  Banks  of  Elk  River 99 

CHAPTER  IX. — A  Little  Episode  Over  Love  Letters in 

CHAPTER  X. — After  Bragg  Again ;  Restful  Summer  Days 
End;  The  Union  People  of  East  Tennessee 118 

CHAPTER  XI. — The  Mountain  Folk;  the  Shadow  of  an  East 

Tennessee  Vendetta  136 

CHAPTER  XII. — Si  and  Shorty  in  Luck;  They  Make  a  Brief 
Visit  to  "God's  Country." 147 


Xll  CONTENTS. 

{ 
PAGE. 

CHAPTER  XIII. — Many  Happy  Events ;  Hours  That  Were 
All-too-Few  and  All-too-Short 163 

CHAPTER  XIV. — The  Frisky  Youngsters ;  Trying  to  Lick  a 
Batch  of  Recruits  Into  Shape 1 78 

CHAPTER  XV. — Keyed  Up  for  Action ;  Marching  Into  the 
Battle  of  Chickamauga 192 

CHAPTER  XVI.— The  Terrific  Struggle ;  the  End  of  the  Bat 
tle  of  Chickamauga  205 

CHAPTER  XVII. — In  the  Hospital ;  Removed  from  the  Battle 
field  to  the  Hospital  at  Chattanooga 214 

CHAPTER  XVIII. — A  Disturbing  Message;  the  Deacon  Hur 
riedly  Leaves  for  Chattanooga 226 

CHAPTER  XIX. — Tedious  Convalescence ;  the  Deacon  Com 
mits  a  Crime  Against  His  Conscience 242 

CHAPTER  XX. — Stewed  Chicken;  the  Deacon's  Culinary  Op 
erations  Bring  Him  Lots  of  Trouble 258 


CONTENTS. 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE. 

During  the   Halt   for   Dinner 19 

"Don't  Call  Me  Your  Gran'pap." 37 

"Here  Goes,  Mebbe  to  Libby  Prison." 55 

"I   am   All   on   Fire." 77 

Si  and  Shorty  Were  the  First  to  Mount  the  Parapet....  91 

The  Bluff  Worked    107 

"She  Ran  Like  a  Deer,  but  Si  Cut  Her  Off." 123 

"You  Mustn't  Kill  a  Wounded  Man." 143 

"Father,  There's  a  Couple  of  Soldiers  Out  There." 159 

"The  First  Wad  Came  Out  Easily  and  all  Right." 165 

"Annabel,  How  Purty  You  Look." 173 

The  Recruits  Lined  Up  on  the  Platform 186 

They  Posted  the  Men  Behind  the  Trees 197 

They  Had  a  Delirious  Remembrance  of  the  Mad  Whirl 211 

The  Dead  Being  Collected  After  the  Battle 220 

"Pap,  is  That  You?"  Said  a  Weak  Voice 237 

"He  Took  Another  Look  at  His  Heavy  Revolver." 253 

"If  You  Don't  Skip  Out  o'  Here  This  Minute  I'll  Bust  Your 

Head  as  I  Would  a  Pumpkin." 264 


THIS     BOOK     IS    RESPECTFULLY     DEDICATED 

TO    THE  RANK    AND    FILE 
OF    THE    GRANDEST    ARMY    EVER    MUSTERED    FOR    WAR. 


SI  KLEQQ 


CHAPTER  I. 


THE    TULLAHOMA    CAMPAIGN  —  ON    TO    DUCK    RIVER. 
"ONLY  25  MILES  TO  SHELBYVILLE." 

JUNE  23,  1863,  ended  the  Army  of  the  Cumber 
land's  six  months  of  wearisome  inaction  around 
Murfreesboro — its  half-year  of  tiresome  fort- 
building,  drilling,  picketing  and  scouting. 

Then  its  60,000  eager,  impatient  men  swept  for 
ward  in  combinations  of  masterful  strategy,  and  in 
a  brief,  wonderfully  brilliant  campaign  of  nine  days 
of  drenching  rain  drove  Bragg  out  of  his  strong  for 
tifications  in  the  rugged  hills  of  Duck  River,  and  com 
pelled  him  to  seek  refuge  in  the  fastnesses  of  the 
Cumberland  Mountains,  beyond  the  Tennessee  River. 

"Now,"  said  Shorty,  as  they  stood  in  line,  waiting 
the  order  to  move,  "as  Old  Rosy  has  clearly  waked  up 
to  business,  I  hope  to  gracious  that  Mr.  Bragg  will 
be  found  at  home  ready  for  callers.  We've  wasted 
six  months  waiting  for  him  to  get  good  and  ready, 
and  he  certainly  ought  to  be  in  trim  to  transact  any 
little  business  we  may  have  with  him." 

"I  think  you  needn't  trouble  yourself  about  that, 
Shorty,"  said  Capt.  McGillicuddy.  "All  the  news  is 
that  Bragg  is  down  there  in  Shelby ville  in  force,  and 


16  SI  KLEGG. 

with  blood  in  his  eye.  Somebody  is  going  to  be  ter 
ribly  whipped  before  the  end  of  the  week,  and  I'm 
pretty  sure  it  won't  be  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland." 

"Well,  let's  have  it  over  and  done  with,"  said  Si. 
"It's  got  to  be  fought  out  some  time,  and  the  sooner 
the  better.  I  wish  the  whole  thing  could  be  fought 
to  a  finish  to-morrow.  Then  I'd  know  at  once 
whether  I'm  to  live  through  this  war." 

"I  don't  think  you'll  be  kept  long  in  suspense," 
replied  Capt.  McGillicuddy.  "Shelbyville  is  only  25 
miles  away.  We  can't  go  forward  many  hours  with 
out  forcing  a  collision  as  to  the  right  of  way.  If  we 
can  whip  Bragg  behind  the  works  he  has  been  build 
ing  for  the  last  six  months,  we'll  settle  the  whole  bus 
iness  for  the  Southern  Confederacy  in  the  West. 
Grant  will  take  Vicksburg,  and  then  we'll  have 
peace." 

"Only  25  miles,"  repeated  Shorty.  "We  ought  to 
be  squarely  up  against  them  not  later  than  to-morrow 
night  and  one  or  two  days'  lively  pounding  ought  to 
make  Mr.  Bragg  holler  enough." 

"Rosenbaum  is  as  certain  as  he  is  of  his  life,"  said 
Si  to  the  Captain  and  the  rest,  "that  Bragg  has  the 
bulk  of  his  army  at  Shelbyville,  which,  as  you  say, 
is  but  25  miles  from  here,  and  that  he  will  draw  the 
rest  in  and  fight  us  behind  the  awfully  big  forts  that 
he  has  been  building  for  the  last  six  months  from 
Shelbyville  to  War  Trace.  Rosenbaum  says  that  he 
knows  it  for  a  fact  that  3,000  negroes  have  been 
worked  on  the  forts  ever  since  Bragg  retreated  there 
last  January." 

"Well,  25  miles  isn't  far  to  go  for  a  fight,"  re 
turned  Shorty.  "All  that  I  ask  is  that  the  200th  Ind. 


THE  TULLAHOMA  CAMPAIGN.  17 

be  given  the  advance.  We'll  make  schedule  time  to 
ward  Shelbyville,  and  bring  on  the  fight  before  early 
candle-lightin'  to-morrow  evening." 

"I  guess  you'll  have  your  wish,  Shorty,"  returned 
Capt.  McGillicuddy.  "We  lead  the  brigade  to-day, 
anyway,  and  we'll  try  to  keep  the  lead  clear  through." 

Then  the  rain  poured  down  so  violently  that  all  the 
conversation  was  suspended,  except  more  or  less  pro 
fane  interjections  upon  the  luck  of  the  Army  of  the 
Cumberland  in  never  failing  to  bring  on  a  deluge 
when  it  started  to  march. 

In  the  midst  of  this  the  bugles  sounded  "For 
ward  !"  and  the  200th  Ind.  swung  out  on  the  Shelby 
ville  Pike,  and  set  its  face  sternly  southward.  After 
it  trailed  the  rest  of  the  brigade,  then  the  ambulances 
and  wagons,  and  then  the  rest  of  the  division. 

At  times  the  rain  was  actually  blinding,  but  the 
men  plodded  on  doggedly  and  silently.  They  had  ex 
hausted  their  epithets  at  the  start,  and  now  settled 
down  to  stolid  endurance. 

"We've  only  got  to  go  25  miles,  boys,"  Si  would 
occasionally  say,  by  way  of  encouragement.  "This 
rain  can't  last  forever  at  this  rate.  It'll  probably 
clear  up  bright  just  as  we  reach  Shelbyville  to-mor 
row,  and  give  us  sunshine  to  do  our  work  in." 

But  when  the  column  halted  briefly  at  noon,  for 
dinner  for  the  men  and  mules,  it  was  raining  harder 
and  steadier  than  ever.  It  was  difficult  to  start  fires 
with  the  soaked  rails  and  chunks,  all  were  wet  to 
the  skin,  and  rivulets  of  water  ran  from  them  as 
they  stood  or  walked.  The  horses  of  the  officers 
seemed  shrunken  and  drawn-up,  and  the  mud  was 
getting  deeper  every  minute. 


18  SI    KLEGG. 

"Lucky  we  had  the  advance,"  said  the  optimistic 
Si.  "We  have  churned  the  roads  into  a  mortar-bed, 
and  them  that  comes  after  us  will  have  hard  pullin'. 
I  wonder  how  many  miles  we've  made  of  them  25?" 

"I  feel  that  we've  already  gone  full  25,"  said 
Shorty.  "But  Tennessee  miles's  made  o'  injy-rub- 
ber,  and  stretch  awfully." 

They  were  too  ill-humored  to  talk  much,  but  stood 
around  and  sipped  their  hot  coffee  and  munched  sod 
den  crackers  and  fried  pork  in  silence.  Pork  fried 
in  the  morning  in  a  half-canteen,  and  carried  for 
hours  in  a  dripping  haversack,  which  reduced  the 
crackers  to  a  tasteless  mush,  is  not  an  appetizing 
viand;  but  the  hunger  of  hard  exercise  in  the  open 
air  makes  it  "go." 

Again  the  bugles  sounded  "Forward,"  and  they 
plodded  on  more  stolidly  than  ever. 

Increasing  evidences  of  the  enemy's  presence  be 
gan  to  stimulate  them.  Through  the  sheets  of  rain 
they  saw  a  squad  of  rebel  cavalry  close  to  them. 
There  was  much  snapping  of  damp  gun-caps  on  both 
sides,  a  few  unavailing  shots  were  actually  fired,  and 
they  caught  glimpses  between  the  rain-gusts  of  the 
rebel  horsemen  galloping  up  the  muddy  road  to 
ward  the  rising  hills. 

They  pushed  forward  with  more  spirit  now.  They 
came  to  insignificant  brooks  which  were  now  raging 
torrents,  through  which  they  waded  waist  deep,  first 
placing  their  treasured  ammunition  on  their  shoul 
ders  or  heads. 

As  they  were  crossing  one  of  these,  Si  unluckily 
stepped  into  a  deep  hole,  which  took  him  in  over  his 
head.  His  foot  struck  a  stone,  which  rolled,  and 


THE  TULLAHOMA  CAMPAIGN. 


19 


down  he  went.  Shorty  saw  him  disappear,  made  a 
frantic  clutch  for  him,  and  went  down  himself.  For 
a  brief  tumultuous  instant  they  bobbed  around 
against  the  legs  of  the  other  boys,  who  went  down 
like  tenpins.  '  Nearly  the  whole  of  Co.  Q  was  at  once 


DURING  THE  HALT  FOR  DINNER. 

floundering  in  the  muddy  torrent,  with  the  Captain, 
who  had  succeeded  in  crossing,  looking  back  in  dis 
may  at  the  disaster.  The  Orderly-Sergeant  and  a 
few  others  at  the  head  of  the  company  rushed  in  and 


20  SI    KLEGG. 

pulled  out  by  the  collars  such  of  the  boys  as  they 
could  grab.  Si  and  Shorty  came  to  the  bank  a  little 
ways  down,  blowing  and  sputtering,  and  both  very 
angry. 

"All  your  infernal  clumsiness,"  shouted  Shorty. 
"You  never  will  look  where  you're  goin'.  No  more 
sense  than  a  blind  hoss." 

"Shut  up,"  said  Si,  wrathfully.  "Don't  you  talk 
about  clumsiness.  It  was  them  splay  feet  o'  your'n 
that  tripped  me,  and  then  you  downed  the  rest  o'  the 
boys.  Every  mite  of  our  grub  and  ammunition's 
gone." 

How  far  the  quarrel  would  have  gone  cannot  be 
told,  for  at  that  instant  a  regiment  of  rebels,  which 
had  been  pushed  out  in  advance,  tried  to  open  a  fire 
upon  the  200th  Ind.  from  behind  a  rail  fence  at  the 
bottom  of  the  hill.  Only  enough  of  their  wet  guns 
could  be  gotten  off  to  announce  their  presence.  The 
Colonel  of  the  200th  Ind.  yelled : 

"Companies  left  into  line!" 

.The  soggy  men  promptly  swung  around. 

"Fix  bayonets!  Forward,  double-quick!"  shouted 
the  Colonel. 

It  was  a  sorry  "double-quick,"  through  the  pelt 
ing  rain,  the  entangling  weeds  and  briars,  and  over 
the  rushing  streams  which  flooded  the  field,  but  it 
was  enough  to  discourage  the  rebels,  who  at  once 
went  back  in  a  heavy-footed  run  to  the  works  on  the 
hill,  and  the  rebel  cannon  boomed  out  to  cover  their 
retreat. 

"Lie  down!"  shouted  the  Colonel,  as  they  reached 
the  fence,  and  a  shell  struck  a  little  in  advance,  fill- 


THE  TULLAHOMA  CAMPAIGN.  21 

ing  the  air  with  mud  and  moist  fragments  of  vege 
tation. 

As  they  lay  there  and  recovered  their  breath  there 
was  much  splashing  and  splattering  of  mud,  much 
running  to  and  fro,  much  galloping  of  Aids  in  their 
rear.  The  200th  Ind.  was  ordered  to  hold  its  place, 
and  be  ready  for  a  charge  upon  the  hill  when  it  re 
ceived  orders.  The  brigade's  battery  was  rushed 
up  to  a  hill  in  the  rear,  and  opened  a  fire  on  the  rebel 
guns.  The  other  regiments  were  deployed  to  the 
right  and  left  to  outflank  the  rebel  position. 

Si  and  Shorty  and  the  rest  of  Co.  Q  put  in  the 
time  trying  to  get  their  guns  dry  and  borrowing  am 
munition  from  the  men  of  the  other  companies. 
Both  were  jobs  of  difficulty  and  doubtful  success. 
There  could  be  no  proper  drying  of  guns  in  that  in 
cessant  drench,  and  nobody  wanted  to  open  up  his 
stock  of  cartridges  in  such  a  rain. 

In  the  intervals  between  the  heavier  showers 
glimpses  could  be  had  of  the  "Kankakee  Suckers" 
and  the  "Maumee  Muskrats"  working  their  way  as 
fast  as  they  could  around  toward  the  rebel  flanks. 
The  rebel  artillery,  seeing  most  danger  from  them, 
began  throwing  shells  in  their  direction  as  they 
could  be  caught  sight  of  through  the  rain  and  the 
opening  in  the  trees. 

"Why  don't  they  order  us  forward  with  the  bay 
onets?"  fretted  Si.  "We  can  scatter  them.  Their 
guns  ain't  in  no  better  shape  than  ours.  If  they  hold 
us  here,  the  Illinoy  and  Ohio  fellers  '11  git  all  the 
credit." 

"The  Colonel's  orders  are  explicit,"  said  the  Adju 
tant,  who  happened  to  be  near,  "not  to  move  until 


22  SI    KLEGG. 

the  head  of  one  of  the  other  regiments  can  be  seen 
on  the  hills  to  the  right  or  left.  Then  we're  all  to 
go  forward  together." 

"Yes,"  grumbled  Shorty,  "and  we'll  jest  git  there 
in  time  to  see  them  Illinoy  Suckers  hog  everything. 
You  kin  see  'em  limberin'  up  and  preparing  to  git. 
Just  our  dumbed  luck." 

It  turned  out  just  as  Shorty  had  predicted.  The 
rebel  commander  had  kept  a  wary  eye  on  the  other 
regiments,  and  as  he  saw  them  gain  the  point  of 
vantage  in  the  open,  where  they  could  make  a  rush 
upon  him,  he  ordered  a  quick  retreat.  The  other 
regiments  raised  a  yell  and  charged  straight  home. 
By  the  time  the  200th  Ind.  could  reach  the  gap  the 
other  regiments  were  in  full  possession,  and  the 
rebels  out  of  musket-shot  in  the  valley  beyond. 

"I  told  you  so,"  snorted  the  irate  Shorty.  "Now 
we've  lost  the  advance.  To-morrow  we'll  have  to 
take  them  other  fellers'  mud,  and  pry  their  teams 
out  o'  the  holes." 

"I  wonder  how  many  o'  them  25  miles  toward 
Shelbyville  we've  made  to-day?"  asked  Si. 

"I  heard  the  Adjutant  say,"  said  one  of  his  com 
rades,  "that  we'd  come  just  six  miles." 

"Jewhillikins,"  said  Shorty  sorrowfully. 

Thus  ended  the  first  day  of  the  Tullahoma  cam 
paign. 


CHAPTER  II. 


THE  BALKY  MULES  —  SUGGESTIONS  GALORE  —  "SHEL- 
BYVILLE  ONLY  18  MILES  AWAY." 

NEVER  was  there  so  wild  a  storm  but  there 
was  a  wilder  one;  never  such  a  downpour 
of  rain  but  there  could  be  a  greater  deluge. 

"Seemed  to  me  yesterday,"  said  Si,  on  the  morn 
ing  of  June  25,  as  he  vainly  tried  to  peer  through 
the  dashing  drench  and  locate  some  of  the  other 
regiments  of  the  division,  "that  they  was  givin' 
us  one  of  Noah's  Deluge  days  that  they'd  happened 
to  have  left  over.  Seemed  that  it  couldn't  be  no 
worse,  but  this  beats  it.  I  don't  think  that  standin' 
under  Niagara  Falls  could  be  no  worse.  How- 
somever,  this  can't  last  long.  There  ain't  water 
enough  in  the  United  States  to  keep  this  up  a  great 
while." 

"Don't  be  so  sure  o'  that,"  said  Shorty,  handing 
Si  the  end  of  a  blanket,  that  he  might  help  wring 
it  out.  "I  believe  the  Lord  sometimes  thinks  that 
He  didn't  divide  the  land  and  water  jest  right  in 
the  first  place,  and  that  He'd  better  've  made  a  big 
lake  o'  Tennessee  instead  o'  these  old  clay  knobs  for 
rebels  and  niggers  to  roost  on,  and  He  starts  in  to 
carry  out  that  idee.  I  wish  He'd  finish  the  job  at 
once,  and  turn  the  whole  blasted  region  over  to  the 
navy.  It  looks  as  if  He  had  that  in  mind  now." 

"Well,"  said  the  ever-hopeful  Si,  "the  Bible  says 


24  SI  KLEGG. 

that  the  rain  falls  on  the  just  and  unjust  alike.  If 
it's  tough  on  us,  it's  jest  as  tough  on  them.  Their 
guns  wouldn't  go  off  any  better'n  ours  yesterday. 
If  that  regiment  in  front  of  us  could've  shot  like 
they  can  on  a  dry  day  they'd  've  made  a  sick  time 
for  us." 

About  60,000  Union  soldiers  and  45,000  rebels 
struggled  through  the  deluges  of  rain,  the  torrential 
streams  and  fathomless  mud  those  June  days,  when 
it  seemed  that  every  water-gate  of  the  heavens  was 
wide  open  as  it  had  never  been  before. 

The  calamity  that  Si  and  Shorty  had  foreseen 
came  about.  The  200th  Ind.  lost  the  advance  of 
the  brigade  and  brought  up  the  rear,  which  meant 
a  long  day  of  muscle-straining,  temper-wrecking 
struggles  with  stalling  wagons,  discouraged  mules 
and  stupid  teamsters.  And  as  Co.  Q  was  the  left 
of  the  regiment,  it  caught  the  worst  of  all. 

The  200th  Ind.  had  scarcely  pulled  out  of  camp 
when  its  troubles  became  acute.  At  the  foot  of  the 
hill  which  had  been  carried  the  day  before  ran  a 
brook,  ordinarily  quite  a  modest  stream,  but  now 
raging  like  a  mill-race.  The  two  other  regiments 
of  the  brigade  and  all  of  the  200th  Ind.  but  Co.  Q 
had  managed  to  get  across  by  means  of  trees  which 
had  been  felled  over  the  stream  at  various  places. 
Co.  Q  was  left  behind  to  see  that  the  teams  got  over, 
while  the  rest  of  the  200th  Ind.  was  halted  on  the 
farther  bank,  to  watch  the  operation  and  give  help 
if  needed.  Si,  with  a  squad  in  which  was  Shorty, 
was  ordered  to  take  the  first  team,  which  it  hap 
pened  Groundhog  drove,  down  into  the  stream  and 
start  it  across. 


THE  BALKY  MULES.  25 

"Now,  be  very  careful  with  that  wagon,"  called 
the  Adjutant  across  the  stream.  "That  has  the 
Headquarters'  things  and  papers.  Don't  let  any 
water  get  into  the  bed.  Cross  at  the  shallowest 
place." 

Si  and  Shorty  found  some  poles,  and  prodded 
around  as  well  as  they  were  able  in  the  crossing  to 
find  the  shallowest  place.  If  there  was  a  part  so 
shallow  that  the  bed  could  be  kept  above  water  it 
was  very  narrow,  and  would  require  exceedingly 
skillful  driving  to  keep  on  it.  The  whole  regiment 
stood  around,  like  a  barnyard  full  of  turkeys  on  a 
wet  day,  and  looked  on  with  an  air  of  soppy  melan 
choly. 

"Groundhog,"  said  Si,  approaching  that  function 
ary,  "was  you  watchin'  carefully  while  me  and 
Shorty  was  pickin'  out  the  shallow  places?" 

"Naw,"  answered  he,  insolently ;  "wasn't  watchin' 
nothin'  but  my  mules.  Got  enough  to  do  takin'  keer 
o'  them,  without  watchin'  a  couple  o'  fools  pro- 
jeckin'  around  with  poles  in  a  mud-hole.  No  sense 
in  it,  nohow.  We  never  kin  git  acrost  that  'ere 
tail-race.  Only  thing  to  do  is  to  go  back  into  camp 
till  it  quits  rainin'  and  the  water  runs  out." 

"Groundhog,"  said  Si  resolutely,  "you're  not  goin' 
back  to  camp;  you're  not  goin'  to  wait  till  it  stops 
rainin'.  You're  goin'  right  over  now,  as  sure  as  my 
name's  Si  Klegg,  or  I'll  break  every  bone  in  your 
karkiss." 

"I  can't  go  over,"  persisted  Groundhog.  "I  ain't 
no  fool.  I  know  better  what  kin  be  done  with  an 
army  wagon  and  six  mules  than  any  Injianny  galoot 
that  ever  wore  stripes  or  shoulder-straps.  You 


26  SI    KLEGG. 

simply  can't  git  a  wagon  acrost  that  branch,  and  I 
ain't  goin'  to  try." 

"Groundhog,"  said  Shorty,  "you've  bin  itchin'  to 
be  killed  for  at  least  a  year,  that  I  know  of — prob 
ably  as  long  as  you've  lived.  You  ought've  had  a 
stone  tied  to  your  neck  and  bin  flung  into  the  crick 
as  soon's  you  was  born.  I've  promised  myself  a 
good  many  times  that  I'd  about  murder  you  when 
ever  I  had  time,  but  something's  always  .made  me 
neglect  it.  I'm  in  the  killin'  mood  to-day,  and  I'd 
like  to  begin  on  you.  I  certainly  will  unless  you 
drive  that  team  straight  acrost,  and  don't  git  a 
drop  o'  water  in  the  bed  o'  the  wagon." 

"Come,  hurry  up,  over  there,"  shouted  the  Adju 
tant.  "We  can't  wait  all  day.  What's  the  matter 
with  you?  Get  a  move  on  you." 

"All  right,  sir;  we'll  start  at  once,  sir,"  said  Si 
with  ostentatious  alacrity.  ";:" 

Shorty  slapped  his  bayonet  on,  and  brought  the 
point  very  near  Groundhog's  abdomen.  "I'll  jab 
this  thing  clean  through  you  in  a  holy  minute,  you 
pusillanimous  basswood  cullin';  you  pestiferous  pile 
o'  pizen,  rotten  punk,"  he  said  savagely.  "Git  on 
your  wheel-mule  and  gether  up  the  lines." 

Impelled  by  this,  and  the  vigorous  clutch  of  Si 
upon  his  collar,  Groundhog  climbed  clumsily  into 
the  saddle  and  sullenly  brandished  his  whip. 

The  mules  made  a  start  and  went  down  the  bank, 
but  at  the  edge  of  the  turbid  torrent  the  leaders 
set  their  legs  as  stiffly  as  if  they  were  the  supports 
of  a  sawhorse.  They  did  not  make  a  sound,  but 
somehow  the  other  four  understood,  with  electric 
suddenness,  and  their  legs  set  like  posts. 


i 

THE  BALKY   MULES.  27 

"Jest  as  I  expected,"  said  Groundhog,  with  a  grunt 
of  satisfaction;  "they've  balked  for  all  day,  an'  you 
can't  git  'em  to  move  another  foot  if  you  killed  'em. 
They're  as  solid  as  if  they'd  growed  there." 

With  an  air  of  having  encountered  the  irresistible, 
he  started  to  get  out  of  his  saddle. 

"Stay  in  there,  confound  you,"  said  Shorty,  prod 
ding  him  with  his  bayonet.  "Lick  them  mules. 
Make  'em  start." 

"  'Bout  as  much  use  in  lickin'  a  white-oak  stump," 
said  Groundhog,  plying  the  whip  viciously  as  a  re 
lief  to  his  feelings.  "You  kin  lick  every  inch  of 
skin  off  'em,  and  they  won't  move  no  more'n  a 
gravestone." 

"Start  those  mules  along.  Stop  fooling,'^  said  the 
Adjutant  impatiently. 

"We  can't  start  'em.  They're  balkin',  sir,"  said 
Si  desperately. 

"Nonsense,  nonsense,"  said  the  Adjutant.  "Come 
ahead.  Don't  you  see  you're  stopping  the  Second 
Brigade  and  all  its  teams?" 

The  men  of  the  Second  Brigade  were  already 
swarming  across  on  the  logs,  while  looking  back 
ward  Si  "and  Shorty  could  see  the  road  filling  up 
with  teams.  They  ran  down  to  the  lead  mules  and 
caught  them  by  the  bridles  and  tried  to  pull  them 
ahead.  They  might  as  well  have  pulled  at  the  giant 
sycamore  trees  growing  along  the  banks. 

Everybody  now  began  to  take  an  interest  in  the 
affair.  It  is  one  of  the  delightful  peculiarities  of 
human  nature  that  everybody  knows  better  how  to 
manage  a  balky  horse  or  mule  than  the  unfortunate 
man  who  is  trying  to. 


28  SI    KLEGG. 

"Stop  whippin'  them  mules.  You  only  make 
them  wuss,"  shouted  one  man  authoritatively.  'Tie 
stones  to  their  tails."  • 

"Tie  a  string  around  their  ears,"  shouted  another. 
"That'll  be  sure  to  start  'em." 

"Bite  their  ears,  you  fools.  Don't  you  know  noth- 
in'  about  mules?  Bite  their  ears,  I  tell  you,"  shouted 
a  man  from  Indianapolis. 

"Throw  some  hot  water  on  'em." 

"Tie  their  feet  and  tails  together  with  a  string." 

"Build  a  fire  under  'em." 

"Turn  the  harness  around  the  other  way  on  'em." 

"Blindfold  'em." 

Then  the  regimental  humorists  began  to  get  in 
their  work: 

"Sing  'em  the  'Battle  Cry  o'  Freedom.'  " 

"They've  struck  for  more  grub.  Promise  'em 
double  rations  till  we  get  to  Shelbyville." 

"Stop  swearin',  there,  you  fellers.  You've  frozen 
'em  stiff  with  your  bad  language.  Pray  with  'em." 

"Read  them  the  Emancipation  Proclamation." 

"Call  'em  pet  names.  You  can  do  anything  with 
kindness.  Even  a  mule  has,  a  heart." 

"Bring  up  the  band  and  serenade  'em." 

Shorty  was  raging  around  the  team,  kicking  and 
striking  first  at  one  mule  and  then  at  another,  and 
swearing  like  a  pirate,  alternately  at  the  team  and 
then  at  the  jeering  crowds.  Si  was  following  suit 
to  the  best  of  his  ability,  but  his  pious  education  had 
left  him  out  of  sight  of  Shorty  when  it  came  to 
using  language  that  the  occasion  seemed  to  justify. 
He  had,  however,  yanked  Groundhog  out  of  the  sad 
dle  and  driven  him  up  the  bank,  where  he  sat  down 


THE  BALKY  MULES.  29 

and  grinned  at  the  confusion  which  had  overtaken 
his  enemies. 

Setting  a  man  at  the  head  of  each  mule  to  coax 
and  encourage  him,  and  the  rest  of  the  company  to 
pushing  and  prying  on  the  wagon,  Si  had  mounted 
the  wheel-mule  himself  and  put  forth  his  mule- 
knowledge  in  one  feverish  effort,  which  was  as  futile 
as  it  was  desperate,  for  the  mules  did  not  seem  to 
change  their  positions  for  a  rest,  even,  when  the 
\vagon  was  forced  forward  on  them. 

A  very  dapper  young  Aid,  fresh  from  West  Point, 
and  with  that  high  appreciation  for  himself  that 
can  only  be  acquired  at  the  United  States  Military 
Academy,  galloped  up,  sternly  ordering  everybody  to 
make  way  for  him,  and — 

"Present  the  compliments  of  the  Major-General 
commanding  the  division,  and  what  the  h—  — 's  the 
matter?" 

"Capt.  McGillicuddy,  to  whom  the  young  gentle 
man  had  been  referred  as  in  charge,  said  quietly: 

"You  see:  A  mule-team  has  balked  and  stopped 
everything.  We're  doing  our  best  to  start  them,  but 
so  far  without  success." 

"So  we  all  perceive,"  said  the  young  man  super 
ciliously.  "Why  are  you  not  down  there  directing 
them?" 

"The  men  that  I  have  down  there  thoroughly 
understand  mules,  and  are  doing  their  very  utmost. 
They  are  having,  as  you  can  see,  a  superfluity  of  ad 
vice  which  is  not  helping  them.  I  can  best  help  by 
letting  them  alone  to  work  it  out  their  own  way. 
They  will  do  all  that  men  can." 

"I  shall  report  the  case  to  the  General,"  said  the 


30  SI    KLEGG. 

Aid,  with  scarcely-concealed  insolence.  "Just  like 
these  confounded  volunteers,"  he  said  as  he  turned 
away,  taking  no  pains  to  keep  the  Captain  from 
overhearing.  "Never  will  be  genuine  soldiers  in  the 
world.  Here,  my  men,"  continued  he,  riding  over  to 
the  wagon,  "stir  yourselves  lively,  now,  and  start 
these  wagons  along.  I  want  no  more  fooling,  and 
won't  have  it.  Start,  now." 

Shorty  had  the  usual  volunteer  dislike  to  young 
West  Pointers;  like  the  rest  of  the  men  he  cordially 
hated  and  ridiculed  the  young  and  airy  staff  officers, 
whether  from  West  Point  or  not.  It  irritated  him  to 
see  the  youngster's  treatment  of  his  Captain.  Say 
ing  snappy  things  at  and  about  the  Captain  was  a 
privilege  jealously  reserved  to  members  of  the  com 
pany.  To  have  anybody  outside  abuse  the  Captain 
was  an  insult  to  be  resented.  Above  all,  his  Ameri 
can  soul  rose  in  wrath  at  the  patronizing  "my  men." 
He  would  not  have  been  at  all  offended  at  one  of  his 
own  rough-and-ready  officers  jumping  in  and  dis 
tributing  curses  on  all  hands,  but  "my  men"  was  too 
much  for  him. 

Without  appearing  to  notice  the  presence  of  the 
Aid,  Shorty  walked  up  to  the  lead-mule,  gave  him 
a  tremendous  kick  in  the  ribs,  and  sung  out  in  a 
tone  loud  enough  to  be  heard  across  the  roaring- 
branch  : 

"You  pernickety  pile  o'  poll-evil;  you  hee-hawin' 
graduate  o'  West  Point;  you  pin-feathered,  taller- 
faced,  pop-eyed,  lantern- jawed,  loud-mouthed  Sec 
ond  Lieutenant,  you,  won't  you  git  up?" 

The  other  boys  began  to  catch  on  and  grin.     The 


THE  BALKY  MULES.  31 

Aid's  face  flushed,  but  Shorty  continued  his  loud 
objurgations  at  the  mule: 

"You  misbegotten  pill  o'  perdition;  you  pompous, 
puddin'-headed  staff  officer;  you  miserable  errand- 
boy  for  the  General,  puttin'  on  more  airs  than  the 
General ;  you  half -hatched  officer,  runnin'  around  yit 
with  the  shell  on  your  head,  and  pretendin'  to  be 
cock-o'-the-walk,  won't  you  git  up?" 

Even  the  Aid  began  to  understand  the  drift  of 
Shorty's  remarks  by  this  time,  and  Capt.  McGilli- 
cuddy  called  out  warningly : 

"Shorty !    Shorty !"  ' 

Si  looked  in  amazement  at  this  new  development 
of  his  partner's  genius.  The  officers  and  men  on  the 
other  side  of  the  branch  seemed  to  have  forgotten 
for  the  moment  the  annoyance  of  the  balked  team  in 
enjoyment  of  Shorty's  outburst. 

"Why  under  heaven  they  put  such  murrain  cattle 
as  you  in  the  army  I  can't  tell,"  he  continued  with 
another  savage  kick  in  the  mule's  side.  "You  only 
take  up  room  from  your  betters.  You  don't  fight, 
you  only  strut  like  a  turkey-cock,  and  eat  and  he- 
haw.  Now,  will  you  git  up?" 

The  Aid  could  not  fail  to  understand  now.  He 
burst  out  in  a  torrent  of  rage :  "You  infernal  scoun 
drel,"  he  shouted,  forcing  his  horse  up  to  Shorty; 
"I'll  have  you  shot  for  insubordination,  for  insulting 
and  mutinous  language  to  your  superior  officer." 

"I  wasn't  sayin'  nothin'  to  you,"  said  Shorty, 
looking  up  with  an  air  of  surprise.  "I  hain't  had 
nothin'  to  do  with  you.  I  was  cussin'  this  other 
piebald  pilgarlic  from  West  Point;  this  other  pig 
headed  pickaninny  o'  the  Regular  Army ;  this  Brevet 


32  SI    KLEGG. 

Second  Lieutenant  o'  the  Quartermaster's  Depart 
ment,  and  Aid  on  the  staff  o'  Gen.  Groundhog.  You 
ain't  my  superior  officer,  nohow." 

"Corporal,"  shouted  the  Aid  to  Si,  "take  this  ras 
cal  up  there  on  the  bank  and  buck-and-gag  him.  Do 
it  at  once." 

"I  don't  believe  you  have  the  right  to  give  me 
orders,  sir,"  said  Si  respectfully.  "I  am  under  Capt. 
McGillicuddy's  orders." 

"You  are  right,  Corporal,"  said  Capt.  McGilli- 
cuddy,  stepping  forward.  "Lieutenant,  you  cannot 
order  one  of  my  men  to  be  punished.  You  have  no 
right  to  command  here.  You  are  merely  to  convey 
the  General's  orders  to  those  who  are  in  command." 

"I  have  the  right  to  give  orders.  I  represent  the 
General,  and  speak  in  his  name,  and  I  order  that 
man  to  be  bucked-and-gagged,"  reiterated  the  Aid  in 
a  flame  of  anger.  "I'll  see  that  it  is  done.  I  shall 
not  be  so  insulted  before  the  whole  army.  It  will 
destroy  all  discipline." 

"Fortunately,  the  discipline  of  the  army  does  not 
depend  on  the  respect  shown  Second  Lieutenants," 
Capt.  McGillicuddy  could  not  help  saying.  "If  you 
have  any  complaint  to  make  against  one  of  my  men, 
state  it  to  me,  their  Captain,  or  to  the  Colonel  of  the 
regiment.  We  are  the  persons,  not  you,  to  deal  with 
them." 

The  men  around  understood ;  nothing  pleased  them 
better  than  to  see  a  bumptious  young  Aid  sat  down 
upon,  and  they  were  outspoken  in  their  delight. 

"I  shall  report  you  to  the  General,  and  have  you 
court-martialed,"  said  the  Aid,  shaking  his  fist  at 
-Capt.  McGillicuddy.  "I  shall" 


THE  BALKY  MULES.  33 

"Mr.  Farwell,"  said  the  Chief  of  Staff,  riding  up, 
'why  haven't  you  reported  to  the  General  as  to  the 
trouble  here?    We've  been  waiting  for  you." 

"Here,"  came  the  clear-cut  tones  of  the  Colonel 
across  the  branch ;  "no  use  of  wasting  any  more  time 
on  those  mules.  They're  there  to  stay.  Unhitch 
them,  fasten  on  a  picket-rope,  and  we'll  pull  the 
wagon  across  from  this  side." 

Everybody  sprang  to  execute  this  order,  but  Si 
and  Shorty's  hands  had  not  reached  the  traces  when 
an  idea  seemed  to  shoot  simultaneously  through  each 
of  the  six  mules,  and  with  one  impulse  they  plunged 
ahead,  directly  into  the  swollen  waters. 

Si  and  Shorty  sprang  back  toward  their  heads  to 
guide  them  over  the  narrow  crossing.  But  the  mules 
seemed  to  take  the  right  course  by  instinct,  and 
landed  the  wagon  safely  on  the  other  side,  without  a 
particle  of  water  entering  the  bed.  Everybody 
cheered,  and  Si  and  Shorty  looked  as  if  their  minds 
had  been  relieved  of  a  terrible  load. 

"Si,"  said  Shorty,  with  a  tinge  of  weariness  in  his 
tone,  "they  say  it  is  about  18  miles  from  here  to 
Shelbyville." 

"Somethin'  like  that,"  answered  Si. 

"I  think  there  are  about  three  o'  these  cricks  to 
every  mile.  Do  you  really  suppose  we'll  be  able  to 
git  there  before  our  three  years  is  up?" 

"All  depends  on  the  mules,"  answered  Si  cheerily. 
"If  this  sudden  spell  o'  goodness  holds  out  we  may 
get  there  before  evening." 


CHAPTER    III. 


THIRD    DAY    OF    THE    DELUGE  —  TOILSOME    PLODDING, 
AND  "SHELBYVILLE  ONLY  15  MILES  AWAY." 

IT  SEEMS  impossible,  but  the  third  day's  rain 
was  even  worse  than  that  of  the  two  preceding. 
The  drops  seemed  much  larger,  to  follow  each 
other  faster,  and  with  less  interval  between  the 
downpours. 

"Does  it  always  rain  this  way  in  June  down  here?" 
Si  asked  a  patriarch,  who  was  sitting  on  his  porch 
by  the  roadside  in  a  split-bottomed  rocking-chair, 
resting  his  bony  hands  on  a  cane,  the  head  of  which 
was  a  ram's  horn,  smoking  a  corn-cob  pipe  and 
watching  the  passing  column  with  lack-luster  eyes. 

"Sah,"  said  the  sage,  poking  down  the  ashes  in 
his  pipe  with  his  little  finger,  "I've  done  lived  in 
the  Duck  River  Valley  ever  sence  Capting  Jimmy 
Madison  wuz  elected  President  the  fust  time,  and  I 
never  seed  sich  a  wet  spell  as  this  afore.  I  reckon 
hit's  all  along  o'  the  wah.  We  allers  have  a  power 
ful  sight  o'  rain  in  wah  times.  Hit  rained  powerful 
when  Jinerul  Jackson  wuz  foutin'  the  Injuns  down 
at  Hoss  Shoe  Bend,  and  the  Summers  durin'  the 
Mexican  war  wuz  mouty  wet,  but  they  didn't  hold 
a  candle  to  what  we're  havin'  this  yeah.  Hit's  the 
shootin'  and  bangin',  I  reckon,  that  jostles  the  clouds 
so's  they  can't  hold  in." 


THIRD  DAY  OF  THE  DELUGE.  35 

"How  far  is  it  to  Shelbyville,  Gran'pap?"  asked 
Shorty. 

"Don't  call  me  yer  gran-pap,"  piped  out  the  old 
man  in  angry  falsetto,  and  shaking  his  cane.  "I 
won't  stand  hit.  I  won't  stand  everything.  I've  had 
enough  ter  stand  from  you  Yankees  already.  You've 
stole  my  chickens  an'  robbed  my  smoke-house,  an' 
run  off  my  stock,  an'  I've  done  stood  hit,  but  I  won't 
stan'  bein'  called  gran'pap  by  ye.  I've  some  mouty 
mean  grandsons,  some  that  orter  be  in  the  peniten 
tiary,  but  I  hain't  none  mean  enough  t'  be  in  the 
Yankee  army." 

"We  didn't  mean  no  offense,  sir,"  said  Si  placat- 
ingly.  "We  really  don't  want  you  for  a  gran'father. 
We've  got  gran'fathers  o'  our  own,  and  they're  very 
nice  old  men,  that  we  wouldn't  trade  off  for  anything 
ever  raised  in  Tennessee.  Have  you  anything  to 
eat  that  you'll  sell  us?  We'll  pay  you  for  it." 

"No,  I  haint  got  nothin' — nary  mite,"  quavered 
the  old  man.  "Your  men  an'  our  men  have  stole 
everything  I  have — stock,  cattle,  sheep,  hogs,  poul 
try,  meat  an'  meal — everything,  except  my  bare  land 
an'  my  hope  o'  heaven.  Thank  God,  none  on  ye  kin 
steal  them  from  me." 

"Don't  be  too  blamed  sure  about  that,  old  feller," 
said  Shorty.  "Better  hide  'em.  The  Maumee  Musk- 
rats  are  jest  behind  us.  They're  the  worst  thieves 
in  the  whole  army.  Don't  let  'em  know  anything 
about  your  land  or  your  hope  o'  salvation,  or  they'll 
have  it  in  their  haversacks  before  you  kin  wink." 

"You  haint  told  us  yit  how  far  it  is  to  Shelbyville," 
said  Si. 

"Young  man,"  said  the  sage  oracularly,  "that  al- 


36  SI    KLEGG. 

together  depends.  Sometimes  Shelbyville  is  mouty 
fur  off,  an'  sometimes  she  is  right  here.  On  bright, 
cl'ar  days,  when  the  roads  is  good,  hit's  only  a  few 
steps  over  thar — jest  two  sees  an'  a  holler." 

"What's  that?"  said  Si.  "Two  sees  an'  a  holler? 
How  far  is  that?" 

"He  means,"  explained  Shorty,  "that  you  go  as 
far  as  you  kin  see  from  the  highest  hilltop  to  the 
next  highest  hill-top  twice,  and  then  it's  only  about 
as  much  farther  as  your  voice  will  reach." 

"Jest  so,"  asserted  the  patriarch.  "I  kin  saddle  my 
ole  nag  arter  dinner,  rack  over  an'  do  some  tradin', 
an'  rack  back  agin  in  time  for  supper.  But 'when 
we  have  sich  sorry  weather  as  this,  Shelbyville  seems 
on  t'  other  side  o'  nowhar.  You've  got  t'  pull  through 
the  mud  an'  swim  every  branch  and  crick,  an'  you're 
mouty  lucky  if  you  git  thar  in  a  week." 

"Why  don't  you  build  bridges  over  the  creeks?" 
asked  Si. 

"Can't  do  hit  when  hit's  rainin'  an  they're  runnin' 
over  thar  banks." 

"But  why  don't  you  do  it  when  the  weather's 
good?" 

"What's  the  use?    You  kin  git  over  all  right  then." 

"Sir,"  said  the  Brigadier-General,  riding  up  and 
addressing  the  old  man,  "where  does  the  Shakerag 
road  come  into  tlie  Bellbuckle  road?" 

Instantly  the  old  man  felt  that  he  was  being  asked 
to  give  "aid  and  information  to  the  enemy,"  and 
his  old  eyes  grew  hard  and  his  wrinkled  face  set. 
"I  don't  know,  sah." 

"Yes,  you  do,"  said  the  Brigadier-General  impa 
tiently,  "and  I  want  you  to  tell  me." 


THIRD  DAY  OF  THE  DELUGE. 


37 


"I  don't  know,  sah,"  repeated  the  old  man. 
"Are  there  any  works  thrown  up  and  any  men  out 
there  on  the  Shakerag  road?"  asked  the  Brigadier. 
"I  don't  know,  sah." 
"Did  a  large  body  of  rebels  go  past  your  house 


'DON'T  CALL  ME  YOUR  GRAN'PAP.' 


yesterday,  and  which  road  did  they  take  at  the 
forks?"  inquired  the  Brigadier. 

"I  don't  know,  sah." 

The  Brigadier-General  was  not  in  the  best  of 
humor,  and  he  chafed  visibly  at  the  old  man's  an 
swers. 


38  SI    KLEGG. 

"Does  not  Goober  Creek  run  down  there  about  a 
mile  in  that  direction?"  he  again  inquired,  pointing 
with  his  field-glasses. 

"I  don't  know,  sah." 

"How  long  have  you  lived  here  ?"  asked  the  Briga 
dier  savagely. 

"Nigh  on  to  55  year,  sah." 

"And  you  don't  know  where  Goober  Creek  is,  and 
which  way  it  runs?"  asked  the  Brigadier,  losing  all 
patience. 

"No,  sah,"  responded  the  imperturbable  old  man. 

"Well,"  said  the  Brigadier-General  grimly,  "it  is 
high  time  that  you  discovered  that  interesting 
stream.  You  might  die  without  seeing  it.  Men  (to 
Si  and  Shorty)  take  him  down  that  road  about  a 
mile,  where  you  will  find  a  considerable  body  of 
water  which  I'm  given  to  understand  is  called  Goober 
Creek.  You'll  show  it  to  him  in  all  its  magnificence 
and  beauty.  Geography  is  a  very  interesting  study, 
old  man,  and  it  is  not  too  late  for  you  to  begin  get 
ting  acquainted  with  your  own  country." 

The  bitter  humor  of  taking  a  man  through  the 
mud  and  pouring  rain  to  see  a  creek  that  he  had  seen 
nearly  every  day  of  his  life  for  a  half-century  was 
such  that  all  the  men  were  in  a  mood  to  appreciate. 
Si  and  Shorty  entered  into  the  affair  with  zest.  They 
put  a  blanket  on  the  old  man's  shoulders,  to  shelter 
him  from  the  rain.  Such  a  thing  as  an  umbrella  had 
never  been  in  his  house.  Even  the  women  would 
have  looked  upon  it  as  a  piece  of  luxurious  effem 
inacy. 

The  old  fellow  grumbled,  expostulated,  and  pro 
tested,  but  if  Si  and  Shorty  had  had  no  other  motive, 


THIRD  DAY  OF  THE  DELUGE.  39 

orders  direct  from  the  Brigadier-General  would  have 
been  executed  at  any  cost.  It  was  the  first  time  that 
they  had  ever  received  orders  from  anybody  higher 
than  the  Colonel,  and  the  effect  upon  them  was  ex 
traordinary. 

"What  in  the  everlastin'  kingdom,"  grumbled  he, 
"kin  your  niggah-lovin'  Yankees  expect  t'  gain  by 
draggin'  me  out  when  hit's  a-rainin'  cats  and  dogs?" 

"Don't  know  nothin'  about  it,"  answered  Si,  catch 
ing  him  by  the  shoulder  to  hurry  him  up.  "  'Tain't 
our  business  to  know.  We  ain't  paid  for  knowin' 
anything  more  than  orders,  and  hardly  enough  for 
that.  A  man  can't  know  much  for  $13  a  month." 

"  'Twon't  help  yer  niggeh-stealin'  army  a  mite  t' 
pi'nt  out  Goober  Crick  t'  me.  I  ain't  gwine  t'  tote 
ye  over  nor  show  ye  the  fords." 

"Don't  care  nothin'  about  that  neither,"  replied 
Shorty,  as  they  pushed  the  old  man  along  through 
the  blinding  'rain.  "Our  orders  is  merely  to  show 
you  Goober  Crick.  'Tain't  none  o'  our  business  what 
the  General  wants  you  to  see  it  for.  Mebbe  he  thinks 
it  '11  improve  your  mind  to  gaze  on  the  beauties  o' 
nature.  Mebbe  he  thinks  you  need  exercise.  Mebbe 
he  thinks  a  shower-bath'd  do  you  good." 

The  column  had  been  checked  by  some  difficulty 
in  front,  and  as  the  boys  conveyed  their  charge 
through  the  ranks  of  waiting  men  it  seemed  that 
everybody  understood  what  they  were  doing,  and 
volleys  of  sarcasm  were  flung  at  their  prisoner. 
There  were  inquiries  as  to  how  he  liked  the  study  of 
geography  as  far  as  he  had  gotten;  whether  he 
would  continue  it  in  more  favorable  weather,  and 
whether  this  primary  lesson  would  be  followed  by 


40  SI    KLEGG. 

others  on  the  road  to  the  mill,  the  path  to  the  stable, 
and  the  way  to  the  spring.  If  the  old  man  had  not 
already  been  as  angry  as  he  could  be,  his  temper 
would  have  risen. 

After  a  lot  of  toilsome  plodding  through  the  rain 
and  mud  which  the  passing  wagons  had  made  fath 
omless,  they  came  to  the  top  of  a  high  hill,  from 
which  they  could  look  down  on  a  turbid  sweep  of 
yellow  water,  about  half  a  mile  away,  which  filled 
nearly  the  whole  valley. 

The  reason  of  delay  was  at  once  apparent.  The 
insignificant  stream  had  suddenly  become  an  almost 
impassable  obstacle.  Men  were  riding  carefully 
across  the  submerged  bottom  land,  prodding  with 
poles,  to  pick  out  crossings.  Others  were  digging 
down  approaches  to  what  seemed  promising  cross 
ings,  and  making  rude  bridges  across  gullies  and 
smaller  streams  that  intervened. 

It  seemed  that  the  fresh  young  Aid  with  whom  the 
boys  had  the  encounter  the  day  before  had  in  some 
mysterious  way  gained  charge  of  the  advance.  He 
had  graduated  into  the  Engineer  Corps  from  West 
Point,  and  here  was  an  opportunity  to  display  his 
immense  knowledge  to  the  glory  of  himself  and  the 
Engineers  and  the  astonishment  of  those  inferior 
persons  who  were  merely  officers  of  cavalry,  infan 
try  and  artillery.  Now  he  would  show  off  the 
shrewd  expedients  and  devices  which  have  embel 
lished  the  history  of  military  engineering  since  the 
days  of  Hannibal  and  Julius  Cesar. 

That  everybody  might  know  who  was  doing  all 
this,  the  Aid  was  riding  back  and  forward,  loudly 
commanding  parties  engaged  in  various  efforts  over 


THIRD  DAY  OF  THE  DELUGE.  "41 

more  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  front.  He  had 
brought  up  the  pontoon-train,  and  the  pontoniers 
were  having  a  hard  time  trying  to  advance  the  boats 
into  the  rushing  waters.  It  was  all  that  the  men 
could  do  to  hold  them  against  the  swift  current.  If 
a  pole  slipped  or  went  down  in  a  deep  hole  the  men 
holding  it  would  slip  and  probably  fall  overboard, 
the  boat  would  whirl  around  and  drift  far  out  of  its 
place,  requiring  great  labor  to  bring  it  back  again, 
and  bringing  down  a  torrent  of  curses  from  the 
young  Lieutenant  on  the  clumsiness  of  "the  Stough- 
ton  bottles"  who  were  pretending  to  be  soldiers  and 
pontoniers.  He  was  feeling  that  every  word  of  this 
kind  showed  off  his  superior  knowledge  to  those 
around.  Some  of  the  men  were  standing  waist-deep 
in  the  water,  trying  to  fasten  lines  to  trees,  to  hold 
in  place  the  boats  already  stationed  and  being  held 
there  by  arms  straining  at  the  poles.  Everywhere 
those  engaged  in  the  work  were  tumbling  down  in 
the  water  or  being  carried  off  their  feet  by  the  cur 
rent  and  rescued  again  with  difficulty,  to  be  hauled 
out  on  the  bank,  exhausted,  soaked  to  the  skin  and 
covered  with  slimy  mud. 

For  awhile  this  had  seemed  funny  to  the  troops 
waiting  to  cross,  and  they  had  yelled  and  laughed 
themselves  hoarse  at  the  mishaps  of  their  comrades. 
Now  the  fun  had  all  evaporated  and  everybody  was 
morose,  with  a  strong  tendency  to  outbreaks  of  pro 
fanity. 

The  old  man  surveyed  the  scene  with  evident  sat 
isfaction.  "Yo'  Yankees  will  git  over  thar  about 
the  middle  o'  July,"  he  chuckled.  "Now,  I  reckon 


42  SI    KLEGG. 

that's  Goober  Crick,  an'  as  I  have  done  seed  hit 
you'll  let  me  go  back  home,  I  s'pose,  won't  ye?" 

"That's  probably  Goober  Crick,  or  at  least  Goober 
Crick  is  somewhere  under  that  muddy  freshet,"  ac 
quiesced  Shorty.  "But  I'm  not  at  all  sure  that  it's 
the  crick.  Looks  more  like  a  misplaced  chunk  out  o' 
the  Mizzoori  River.  I'm  not  sure,  either,  that  your 
eyes  kin  see  that  distance.  We'll  have  to  walk  you 
till  we  find  a  section  of  the  crick  somewhere  that  kin 
be  recognized  by  the  naked  eyes.  Come  along,  and 
step  lively." 

The  old  man  groaned,  but  there  was  no  hope  for 
him  from  these  relentless  executants  of  orders.  For 
a  half  hour  more  they  plodded  on.  The  mud  grew 
deeper  at  every  step,  but  the  boys  mercilessly  forced 
the  old  man  through  the  worst  of  it,  that  they  might 
reach  some  point  where  they  could  actually  see 
Goober  Crick.  He  could  not  palm  off  on  them  any 
common  old  mud  freshet  for  a  creek  that  had  a  reg 
ular  place  on  the  map. 

Finally  they  came  near  the  pontoons,  and  saw  one 
almost  capsize,  throwing  everybody  in  it  into  the 
water,  while  another  whirled  madly  away  toward  the 
center  of  the  current,  with  but  one  man  in,  who  was 
frantically  trying  to  stop  it  and  save  himself. 

"Yes,  he'll  stop  it,  much,"  said  Shorty,  looking 
after  him.  "If  he  gits  ashore  before  he  reaches  the 
Mississippi  I'll  be  surprised.  Say,  Si,  it'll  be  easier 
lookin'  for  Goober  Crick  in  a  boat  than  wading 
through  the  mud.  Let's  git  in  one  o'  them  boats." 

This  terrified  the  old  man  till  he  was  ready  to 
yield. 

"I  begin  t'  know  the  place,"  he  admitted.    "If  we 


THIRD  DAY  OF  THE  DELUGE.  43 

take  this  path  through  the  woods  t'  the  left  hit'll 
bring  us  out  whar  yo'  kin  see  Goober  Crick  for 
sartin,  an'  no  mistake.  Hit's  allers  above  high-water 
thar." 

The  boys  followed.  A  very  short  walk  through 
a  curtain  of  deep  woods  brought  them  on  to  much 
higher  ground,  where  Goober  Creek  roared  through 
a  narrow  channel  it  had  cut  in  the  rocks.  As  they 
stood  on  the  banks,  Si  and  Shorty's  eyes  met  in  a 
quick  comprehension  of  the  advantages  of  the  place. 
They  looked  backward  through  the  woods  to  see  a 
depression  in  the  hills,  which  promised  a  short  and 
comparatively  easy  cut-off  to  the  road  in  the  rear, 
where  the  200th  Ind.  lay. 

"Yes,  this  is  Goober  Crick,"  said  the  old  man, 
with  an  air  of  recalling  an  old  acquaintance.  "I'm 
sure  of  hit.  Now,  you'll  let  me  go  home,  won't  yer?" 
I  hain't  got  a  dry  thread  left  on  me,  an'  I  know  I'll 
jest  fairly  die  o'  rheumatiz." 

"Yes,  you  can  go,"  said  Shorty,  who  was  filling  his 
eyes  with  the  lay  of  the  ground,  and  the  chances  it 
offered  of  getting  the  200th  Ind.  across  ahead  of  the 
others  and  gaining  the  coveted  head  of  the  column. 
"I've  no  doubt  you're  awful  wet,  but  mebbe  you 
know  more'n  you  did  a  couple  of  hours  ago.  Skip !" 

The  old  man  moved  off  with  alacrity  scarcely  to  be 
expected  of  him,  and  the  boys  saw  that  it  was  wisest 
to  follow  him,  for  he  was  taking  a  bee-line  through 
the  woods  and  brush  for  his  home,  and  that  they 
knew  was  near  where  they  had  left  their  regiment. 

Soon  Co.  Q,  crouching  under  the  cedars  and  pon 
chos  spread  over  fence  corners,  hovering  around 
struggling  fires,  and  sullenly  making  the  best  of  a 


44  SI    KLEGG. 

very  poor  prospect,  was  electrified  by  Si  and  Shorty 
appearing  on  as  near  a  run  as  they  could  put  up  with 
their  weight-soaked  garments. 

"Capt.  McGillicuddy,"  gasped  Si,  "we've  found  a 
bully  place  to  cross.  Tell  the  Colonel  quick.  Let  the 
boys  git  all  the  axes  and  shovels  they  kin,  and  come 
with  us.  We'll  have  a  crossin'  ready  by  the  time  the 
Colonel  comes  up  with  the  regiment,  and  we  kin  git 
the  advance  agin." 

Si  had  gained  that  enviable  position  in  the  regi 
ment  where  he  could  always  have  plenty  of  follow 
ers  to  anything  that  he  proposed.  The  sullen  de 
spondency  passed  into  active  alertness  as  soon  as  he 
began  speaking,  and  before  he  was  done  some  of 
them  were  rummaging  around  the  wagons  for  axes 
and  shovels.  Two  or  three  of  these  implements  were 
found  in  the  old  man's  yard. 

"Go  ahead,"  said  the  Captain.  "I'll  speak  to  the 
Colonel,  and  we'll  follow  you  with  the  regiment. 
You  can  get  the  teams  across,  too?" 

"Certain,"  said  Si,  as  he  handed  his  gun,  cartridge- 
box,  haversack,  blanket-roll  and  overcoat  to  another 
boy  to  carry  for  him,  shouldered  his  ax  and  started 
off  at  a  run,  the  others  following. 

They  came  back  to  the  spot  whither  the  old  man 
had  led  them.  Si's  experienced  eye  quickly  selected 
two  tall  hickories,  which  could  be  felled  directly 
across  the  stream  and  form  the  stringers  for  his 
bridge.  The  next  instant  the  damp  air  was  ringing 
with  the  strokes  of  eight  as  skillful  axmen  as  there 
were  in  the  army,  Si  leading  on  one  tree  and  Shorty 
on  the  other.  They  could  not  keep  up  the  feverish 
pace  they  had  set  for  many  minutes,  but  the  in- 


THIRD  DAY  OP  THE  DELUGE.  45 

stant  their  blows  relaxed  eight  other  men  snatched 
the  axes,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  trees  toppled  and 
fell  just  in  the  right  position.  Co.  Q  was  now  com 
ing  up,  followed  by  the  rest  of  the  regiment,  and 
they  gave  a  cheer  to  echo  the  crash  of  the  falling 
trees.  Instantly  hundreds  of  men  and  officers  were 
at  work  clearing  a  road  and  completing  the  bridge. 
Some  cut  down  other  trees  to  furnish  filling  for  the 
approaches,  or  to  split  into  flooring  for  the  bridge. 
Some  dug  down  the  bank  and  carried  the  clay  to 
cover  the  brush  and  chunks.  In  an  incredibly  short 
time  a  bridge  was  completed,  over  which  the  regi 
ment  was  marched,  and  the  wagons  pulled  by  the 
men,  after  the  mules  had  been  detached  and  walked 
over. 

Every  fresh  success  was  announced  by  tremendous 
cheering,  which  carried  information  to  the  rest  of 
the  brigade  that  the  200th  Ind.  was  doing  something 
unusual.  News  as  to  what  this  was  at  last  reached 
the  ears  of  the  Lieutenant  of  Engineers,  who  was 
continuing  his  struggle  with  the  pontoons  with  a  per 
sistence  worthy  of  better  luck. 

He  rode  up  just  in  time  to  see  Capt.  McGillicuddy 
looking  with  elation  at  the  passage  of  the  last  wagon. 

"Why  was  I  not  informed  as  to  what  you  were 
doing  here,  sir?"  he  asked  angrily. 

"Probably  because  we  were  too  busy  doing  it  to 
be  talking  about  it.  If  you  had  known  of  it  you 
would  probably  have  tried  to  apply  the  47th  prob 
lem  of  Euclid  to  the  case,  and  we  wouldn't  've  got 
ten  over  for  a  week.  Eventually,  sir,  I  expect  you 
will  find  out  that  there  are  several  things  in  the 
world  that  are  not  learned  at  West  Point.  Having 


46  SI    KLEGG. 

accomplished  all  that  we  want  with  the  bridge,  I  now 
have  the  pleasure  of  turning  it  over  to  the  Engineer 
Department,  and  I  wish  that  you  may  find  it  very 
useful,"  continued  the  Captain,  as  with  a  mocking 
smile  and  salute  he  followed  the  last  of  the  regi 
ment  across  the  creek. 

"Adjutant,"  said  Si,  saluting  that  official  with 
great  respect,  "we've  now  got  the  advance  agin, 
hain't  we?" 

"You're  right  we  have,  you  bully  boy  with  a  glass 
eye,"  said  the  Adjutant,  slapping  him  on  the  shoul 
der  with  a  familiarity  that  would  have  given  the 
young  Engineer  Lieutenant  a  spasm  and  caused  a 
strong  report  on  the  discipline  of  the  200th  Ind. 
"And  you  can  just  bet  we'll  keep  it,  too.  You  ought 
to  see  the  Colonel's  eye.  We'll  lead  the  procession 
into  Shelbyville,  which  is  only  15  miles  away." 


CHAPTER  IV. 


THE    FOURTH    DAY    OF    THE    TULLAHOMA    CAMPAIGN. 
"SHELBYVILLE  ONLY  10  MILES  AWAY." 

AND  it  rained  the  fourth  day — rained  as  if 
there  had  been  months  of  drouth,  during 
which  it  had  been  saving  up  water  and  gath 
ering  its  energies  for  an  astonishing,  overwhelming, 
make-up-for-lost-time  effort. 

"Great  goodness,"  said  Si,  as  he  and  Shorty  were 
again  wringing  their  blankets  out  to  lighten  the  load 
they  would  start  with;  "seems  to  me  they're  tryin' 
to  move  Lake  Superior  down  here,  and  dumping  the 
water  by  train-loads." 

"Old  Rosey  ought  to  set  us  to  buildin'  arks,"  grum 
bled  Shorty.  "We'll  need  'em  as  bad  as  Noah  did." 

There  was  an  alleviation  to  the  weather  and  mud 
in  the  good  news  that  came  from  all  parts  of  the 
long  front  of  75  miles,  on  which  the  60,000  men  of 
the  Army  of  the  Cumberland  were  pressing  for 
ward  against  their  enemies  in  spite  of  the  apparent 
league  of  the  same  with  the  powers  of  the  air 
against  them.  Away  off  on  the  extreme  right  Gen. 
Mitchel's  cavalry  had  driven  the  enemy  from  Triune, 
Eagleville,  Rover,  and  Union ville;  Gordon  Granger's 
and  Crittenden's  infantry  were  sweeping  forward 
through  Salem,  Christiana,  and  Brady  ville;  grand 
old  Pap  Thomas,  in  his  usual  place  in  the  center, 
had  swept  forward  with  his  accustomed  exhibition 


48  SI    KLEGG. 

of  well-ordered,  calmly-moving,  resistless  power,  and 
pushed  the  enemy  out  of  his  frowning  strongholds  at 
Hoover's  Gap;  McCook,  whose  advance  had  that 
splendid  leader,  John  F.  Miller,  had  struck  success 
fully  at  Liberty  Gap,  and  far  to  our  left  the  dash 
ing  Wilder  had  led  his  "Lightning  Brigade"  against 
the  enemy's  right  and  turned  it.  The  higher  officers 
were  highly  elated  at  the  success  of  Gen.  Rose- 
crans's  brilliant  strategy  in  forcing  the  very  formid 
able  outer  line  of  the  enemy  without  a  repulse  any 
where.  Their  keen  satisfaction  was  communicated 
to  the  rank  and  file,  and  aroused  an  enthusiasm 
that  was  superior  to  the  frightful  weather.  Every 
body  was  eager  to  push  forward  and  bring  Bragg 
to  decisive  battle,  no  matter  how  strong  his  labori 
ously-constructed  works  were. 

"Old  Rosey  may  be  a  little  slow  to  start,"  Shorty 
held  forth  oracularly  to  the  group  crouching  over 
the  fire,  "but  when  he  does  start,  great  Scott,  but 
he's  a  goer.  I'll  put  every  cent  I  may  have  for  the 
next  10  years  on  him,  even  though  he's  handicapped 
by  a  Noah's  deluge  for  40  days  and  40  nights.  And 
when  it  comes  to  playin'  big  checkers,  with  a  whole 
State  for  a  board,  and  brigades  and  divisions  for 
men,  he  kin  skunk  old  Bragg  every  time,  without 
half  tryin'.  He's  busted  his  front  row  all  to  pieces, 
and  is  now  goin'  for  his  king-row.  We'll  have  Bragg 
before  Grant  gits  Pemberton,  and  then  switch 
around,  take  Lee  in  the  rear,  capture  Richmond,  end 
the  war,  and  march  up  Pennsylvania  Avenue  before 
Old  Abe,  with  the  scalps  o'  the  whole  Southern  Con 
federacy  hangin'  at  our  belts." 

"Wish  to  Heaven,"  sighed  Si,  "Old  Rosey'd  thought 


FOURTH   DAY   OF   THE  CAMPAIGN.  49 

to  bring  along  a  lot  of  Ohio  River  coal  scows  and 
Wabash  canal-boats  to  make  our  campaign  in.  What 
fun  it'd  be  jest  to  float  down  to  She.lbyville  and  fight 
those  fellers  with  100  rough-and-ready  gunboats. 
Then,  I'd  like  awfully  to  know  once  more  what  it 
feels  like  to  have  dry  feet.  Seems  to  me  my  feet 
are  swelling  out  like  the  bottom  of  a  swamp-oak." 

"Hope  not,  Si,"  said  Shorty.  "If  they  git  any 
bigger  there  won't  be  room  enough  for  anybody  else 
on  the  same  road,  and  you'll  have  to  march  in  the 
rear  o'  the  regiment.  Tires  me  nearly  to  death  now 
to  walk  around  'em." 

"There  goes  the  bugle.  Fall  in,  Co.  Q,"  shouted 
the  Orderly-Sergeant. 

As  the  200th  Ind.  had  the  advance,  and  could 
leave  the  bothersome  problems  of  getting  the  wagons 
across  the  creeks  to  the  unlucky  regiment  in  the 
rear,  the  men  stepped  off  blithely  through  the  swish 
ing  showers,  eager  to  find  the  enemy  and  emulate 
the  achievements  on  previous  days  by  their  com 
rades  on  other  parts  of  the  line. 

Being  as  wet  as  they  could  be,  they  did  not  waste 
any  time  about  crossing  streams.  The  field  officers 
spread  out  and  rode  squarely  at  the  most  promis 
ing  crossings  in  sight.  The  men  watched  their 
progress,  and  took  the  best  they  found.  If  the 
water  did  not  get  above  the  middle  of  the  sides  of 
the  Colonel's  medium-sized  horse,  they  took  off  their 
haversacks  and  unbuckled  their  cartridge-boxes, 
and  plunged  in  after  him,  the  shorter  men  pairing 
off  with  the  taller  men,  and  clinging  to  them. 

So  eager  was  their  advance  that  by  the  time  they 
halted  at  noon  for  a  rest  and  a  cup  of  coffee,  they 

3 


50  SI    KLEGG. 

were  miles  ahead  of  the  rest  of  the  brigade,  and 
beginning  to  look  forward  to  catching  glimpses  of 
Shelbyville. 

They  had  encountered  no  opposition  except  long- 
taw  shots  from  rebel  cavalry  watching  them  from 
the  opposite  sides  of  the  yellow  floods,  and  who 
would  scurry  away  as  soon  as  they  began  to  cross. 

The  young  Aid  again  appeared  upon  the  scene. 

"Colonel,"  he  said,  saluting,  "the  General  pre 
sents  his  compliments,  and  directs  that  you  advance 
to  that  next  creek,  and  halt  there  for  the  night  and 
observe  it." 

"What  did  that  young  man  remark?"  said  Shorty 
in  an  undertone;  "that  we  wuz  to  advance  to  that 
crick  and  observe  it?  What  in  the  thunder  have 
we  bin  doin'  for  the  past  four  days  but  observe 
cricks,  an'  cross  the  nasty,  wet  things?" 

"He  means,  Shorty,"  said  Capt.  McGillicuddy, 
"that  we  are  to  go  as  near  as  we  can  to  the  bank, 
and  watch,  that  the  rebels  do  not  come  across,  and 
wait  there  until  the  rest  of  the  division  get  in  sup 
porting  distance." 

"I  guessed  that  was  what  his  West  Point  lingo 
meant,  if  he  has  brains  enough  to  mean  anything. 
Why  didn't  he  say  in  plain  United  States :  'Git  down 
to  the  edge  o'  that  there  crick,  watch  for  a  chance 
to  jump  the  rebels,  and  keep  your  eye  peeled  that 
the  rebels  don't  jump  you?'  That'd  be  plain 
Methodist-Episcopal,  that  everybody  could  under 
stand.". 

"I'll  see  that  you  are  appointed  Professor  of 
Military  Language  and  Orders  at  West  Point  when 
you  are  discharged,"  said  the  Captain,  laughing. 


FOURTH   DAY   OF   THE   CAMPAIGN.  .51 

The  regiment  advanced  to  the  edge  of  the  swollen 
flood  and  made  themselves  as  comfortable  as  pos 
sible  under  shelters  improvised  from  rails,  cedar 
boughs,  pieces  of  driftwood,  etc.  A  considerable 
force  of  rebels  appeared  on  the  opposite  bank,  whose 
business  seemed  to  be  to  "observe"  the  Yankees. 

The  restless  Si  and  Shorty  started  out  on  a  pri 
vate  reconnoissance.  They  discovered  that  the 
shore  opposite  the  left  of  the  regiment  was  really 
an  island,  separated  by  some  hundreds  of  yards  of 
rushing  water  from  them,  but  the  main  current  ran 
on  the  other  side  of  the  island. 

"We  can't  observe  the  crick  through  that  mass  o' 
willers  and  cottonwoods,"  said  Shorty.  "That's  cer 
tain.  No  tellin'  what  devilment  the  rebels  are  up 
to  on  the  bank  over  there.  They  may  be  gittin' 
up  a  flank  movement  over  there,  with  pontoons  and 
flatboats,  to  bust  the  whole  army  wide  open." 

"That's  so,"  assented  Si.  "The  orders  are  to  ob 
serve  this  crick,  and  we  can't  do  it  if  we  can't  see 
the  other  bank.  We  ought  to  git  over  to  that 
island." 

They  went  back  and  reported  to  Capt.  McGilli- 
cuddy,  and  told  him  what  they  thought.  He  at  once 
agreed  with  them,  and  sanctioned  their  proposal  to 
go  -over  to  the  island,  if  they  could  find  means  of 
crossing. 

After  a  diligent  search  they  came  across  an  old 
canoe  hollowed  out  of  a  tulip-tree  log.  It  was  a 
cranky  affair,  and  likely  to  turn  over  if  their  hair 
was  not  parted  exactly  in  the  middle;  but  both  of 
the  boys  were  used  to  canoe  management,  and  they 
decided  to  risk  the  thing. 


52  SI    KLEGG. 

It  was  ticklish  business  crossing  the  current,  but 
they  succeeded  in  reaching  the  island,  which  ex 
tended  a  foot  or  more  above  the  level  of  the  flood, 
and  was  covered  with  a  thicket  of  willows  and  cot- 
tonwoods  about  the  size  of  hoe-handles.  They 
pusfted  their  way  through  these  and  came  in  sight 
of  the  opposite  banks.  There  was  apparently  some 
thing  important  going  on  over  there.  Quite  a  num 
ber  of  rebels  could  be  seen  moving  about  through 
the  rain  and  mud,  there  was  :i  great  deal  of  chop 
ping  going  on,  several  flatboats,  canoes  and  rafts 
were  lying  at  the  bank,  wagons  were  passing,  and 
the  boys  thought  they  could  make  out  a  cannon  or 
two. 

"1  can't  make  out  what  in  the  world  they're  up 
to,"  said  Si.  "But  I'm  certain  the  Colonel  ought  to 
know  it.  Suppose  you  take  the  canoe,  Shorty,  and 
paddle  over  and  report,  and  I'll  stay  here  and 
watch." 

"All  right,"  answered  Shorty,  starting  back  for 
the  canoe. 

He  reported  to  Capt.  McGillicuddy,  who  took  him 
up  to  the  Colonel. 

"It  don't  seem  possible  that  they  can  be  doing 
anything  to  threaten  us,"  said  the  Colonel;  "though 
they  may  know  of  some  practicable  crossing  higher 
up  the  stream,  "which  will  let  them  in  on  our  flank. 
Still,  they  ought  to  be  watched.  I'll  inform  the  Gen 
eral  at  once.  You  had  better  station  a  picket  on  the 
island,  Captain,' if  you  can  do  so  safely." 

"Me  and  my  pardner  '11  look  out  for  them,  Colonel, 
if  you  think  necessary,"  said  Shorty,  proud  to  be  of 
service  under  the  Colonel's  direction. 


FOURTH   DAY   OF   THE   CAMPAIGN.  53 

"Very  good,"  said  the  Colonel  briefly.  "I'll  en 
trust  the  lookout  to  you  boys.  Let  me  know  at  once 
if  anything  important  develops." 

The  young  Aid  had  been  standing  nigh  during 
this  conversation. 

"Your  men,  Colonel,"  he  said  patronizingly,  "are 
excellent  soldiers,  in  their  way,  but  they  lack  the 
intelligence  necessary  to  comprehend  the  movements 
of  the  enemy  on  the  opposite  bank.  I  think  I  shall 
go  over  there  myself,  take  a  personal  observation, 
and  determine  precisely  what  the  meaning  of  the 
movements  may  be." 

"As  you  like,"  said  the  Colonel  stiffly.  "As  for 
myself,  I  don't  think  it  is  necessary  for  me  to  go. 
I'd  trust  those  boys'  eyes  as  quick  as  I  would  my 
own.  They  are  as  good  soldiers  as  ever  breathed; 
they  are  as  keen  as  a  brier,  with  not  a  particle  of 
nonsense  about  them.  They  are  as  truthful  as  the 
day.  When  they  tell  me  anything  that  they  have 
seen  with  their  own  eyes  I  can  trust  it  as  absolutely 
as  if  I  had  seen  it  myself;  and  their  judgment  can 
not  be  beat." 

"No  enlisted  man  can  possibly  see  anything  so 
well  as  an  officer  who  has  been  educated,"  said  the 
Aid. 

"That  is  a  matter  of  opinion,"  said  the  Colonel 
dryly. 

"Anyway,  I'm  going  over  to  see  for  myself,"  said 
the  Aid.  And  he  called  after  Shorty: 

"Here,  my  man,  I'm  going  along  with  you." 

Shorty  muttered  some  very  warm  words  under 
his  breath,  but  discipline  asserted  itself,  and  he  an 
swered  respectfully: 


54  SI    KLEGG. 

"Very  good,  sir." 

He  halted  until  the  Aid  came  alongside,  and  then 
started  to  walk  beside  him  as  he  would  have  done 
with  one  of  his  own  officers  when  out  alone  with 
him. 

"Fall  two  paces  behind,"  commanded  the  Aid 
sternly 

Shorty  said  to  himself  some  very  hotly-disparag 
ing  things  about  pretentious  young  snips  of  Regu 
lar  officers.  They  reached  the  canoe,  and  the  Lieu 
tenant  calmly  seated  himself  in  the  stern.  This  was 
another  aggravation.  If  Shorty  had  gone  out  with 
one  of  his  own  officers,  even  the  Colonel,  he  would 
have  shown  a  deep  interest  in  everything  and  wanted 
to  do  his  share  toward  getting  the  canoe  safely 
over.  This  young  fellow  calmly  seated  himself,  and 
threw  all  the  responsibility  and  work  on  Shorty. 

"Now,  you  set  right  in  the  center,  there,"  said 
Shorty,  as  he  picked  up  the  paddle  and  loosened  the 
rope,  "and  keep  mighty  still." 

"My  man,"  said  the  Lieutenant,  frowning,  "when 
I  want  your  advice  I'll  ask  it.  It  is  for  me  to  give 
you  directions,  not  you  me.  You  paddle  out,  now, 
and  head  straight  for  that  island.  Paddle  briskly, 
and  get  me  over  there  as  quick  as  possible." 

Shorty  was  tempted  to  tip  the  canoe  over  then 
and  there,  but  he  restrained  himself,  and  bent  his 
strong  arms  to  the  hard  task  of  propelling  the  canoe 
across  the  strong  current,  avoiding  the  driftwood, 
maintaining  his  balance,  and  keeping  the  bow  point 
ed  toward  the  place  where  he  wanted  to  land. 

The  Lieutenant  had  sense  enough  to  sit  very  still, 
and  as  he  naturally  had  been  drilled  into  bolt-up- 


FOURTH   DAY   OP   THE   CAMPAIGN. 


55 


Tightness,  Shorty  had  little  trouble  with  him  until 
they  were  nearing  the  shore.  Then  the  canoe  ran 
into  a  swirl  which  threw  its  bow  around.  Forget 
ting  his  dignified  pose,  the  Lieutenant  made  a  grab 
for  some  overhanging  willows. 


"HERE  GOES,  MEBBE  TO  LIBBEY  PRISON. 

"Let  them  alone,  blast  you;  I'll  bring  her  around 
all  right,"  Shorty  started  to  yell,  but  too  late.  Be 
fore  the  words  were  out  of  his  mouth  the  cranky 
canoe  went  over.  Shorty  with  the  quickness  of  a 


56  SI   KLEGG. 

cat  jumped  clear,  caught  some  branches  with  one 
hand,  and  made  a  grab  for  the  canoe  with  the 
other.  But  he  saw  the  Lieutenant  go  down  head 
foremost,  with  fancy  boots  disappearing  last.  He 
let  the  canoe  go,  to  make  a  grab  for  the  boots.  He 
missed  them,  but  presently  the  Lieutenant's  head  ap 
peared,  and  he  gasped  and  sputtered:  «, 

"Save  me,  my  good  man.    I  can't  swim  a  stroke." 

Shorty  plunged  out,  succeeded  in  catching  the 
Lieutenant  by  the  collar,  and  after  a  vicious  strug 
gle  with  the  current,  grabbed  with  his  right  hand 
a  pole  that  Si  thrust  out  to  him,  while  with  his  left 
he  dragged  the  Lieutenant  ashore,  "wetter'n  a 
blamed  drowned  West  Point  muskrat,"  as  he  after 
ward  expressed  it. 

"My  good  man,  you  saved  my  life,  and  I  thank 
you  for  it,"  said  the  Lieutenant  when  he  recovered 
his  breath.  "I  shall  mention  you  in  my  report." 

"If  you  don't  stop  calling  me  your  'good  man' 
I'll  chuck  you  into  the  drink  again,  you  wasp-waist- 
ed,  stiff-backed,  half-baked  West  Point  brevet  Sec 
ond  Lieutenant,"  said  Shorty  wrathfully.  "If  you'd 
had  the  sense  of  a  six-months'-old  goslin'  you'd  'a' 
set  still,  as  I  told  you,  and  let  me  manage  that 
canoe.  But  you  never  kin  learn  a  West  Pointer 
nothin'.  He'd  try  to  give  God  Almighty  points  if 
he  got  a  chance.  Now  we've  lost  our  canoe,  and 
we're  in  a  devil  of  a  fix.  I  feel  like  throwin'  you 
back  in  the  crick." 

"Take  care,  my  good" and  then  the  Lieuten 
ant  caught  the  glare  of  Shorty's  eye.  "Take  care, 
sir.  You're  on  the  verge  of  mutiny.  I  may  have 
you  court-martialed  and  shot,  if  you're  not  careful." 


FOURTH   DAY   OF   THE   CAMPAIGN.  57 

"Court-martial  and  be  blamed,"  said  Si,  who  was 
as  angry  as  Shorty.  "You've  lost  our  canoe,  and 
we  may  be  drowned  before  we  can  git  off  this  island. 
It's  got  so  dark  they  can't  see  us  from  the  shore, 
the  water's  steadily  rising,  these  trees  are  too  small 
to  climb,  and  the  Lord  knows  how  we're  goin'  to  git 
off." 

'•Corporal,  I'll  see  that  you're  reduced  to  the  ranks 
for  disrespect  to  me.  I  had  intended  to  recommend 
this  man  for  promotion  on  account  of  his  great  serv 
ice  to  the  army  in  saving  my  life.  Now  I  shall  see 
that  you  are  both  punished  for  insubordination." 

"Insubordination  be  damned,  and  you  with  it," 
said  Shorty.  "You'd  better  be  thinking  how  we're 
to  git  off  this  island.  The  water's  bin  raisin'  about 
a  foot  a  minute.  I've  bin  watchin'  while  we  wuz 
talkin'." 

The  Lieutenant  stood,  dazed,  while  the  boys  were 
canvassing  plans  for  saving  themselves. 

"I'll  tell  you,  Shorty,"  said  Si  suddenly.  "Le's 
ketch  one  o'  them  big  saw-logs  that's  comin'  down, 
straddle  it,  and  let  it  carry  us  somewhere.  It  may 
take  us  into  our  own  lines.  Anything's  better  than 
drowndin'.  Here  comes  one  in  the  eddy  now." 

Shorty  caught  the  log  with  a  long  pole,  and  dex 
terously  steered  it  up  close  to  the  shore  in  com 
paratively  still  water.  Si  threw  a  grapevine  over  it 
and  held  it. 

"Now,  all  git  on,"  said  Shorty.  "Be  careful  not 
to  push  it  away." 

"Let  me  get  on  ahead,"  said  the  Lieutenant,  still 
mindful  of  his  rank,  "and  you  two  get  on  behind, 
the  Corporal  next  to  me." 


58  SI    KLEGG. 

"Not  much,  Mary  Ann,"  jeered  Shorty.  "We 
want  a  man  of  sense  ahead,  to  steer.  I'll  git  on 
first,  then  you,  and  then  Si,  to  bring  up  the  rear 
and  manage  the  hind  end  of  the  log." 

The  Lieutenant  had  to  comply.  They  all  got  safely 
on,  and  Shorty  pushed  off,  saying: 

"Here,  sit  straight,  both  of  you.  Here  goes — 
mebbe  for  New  Orleans,  mebbe  for  Libby  Prison, 
mebbe  for  the  camp  of  the  200th  Ind. 

"We're  out  on  the  ocean  sailin'." 


CHAPTER   V. 


AFLOAT     ON     A     LOG  —  SI,     SHORTY     AND     THE    WEST 
POINTER  HAVE  AN   EVENTFUL  JOURNEY. 

THE  log  swept  out  into  the  yellow  swirl,  bobbing 
up  and  down  in  the  turbulent  current. 

"Bobs  like  a  buckin'  broncho,"  said  Shorty. 
"Make  you  seasick,  Si?" 

"Not  yet,"  answered  his  partner.  "I  ain't  so 
much  afraid  o'  that  as  I  am  that  some  big  alligator- 
gar  '11  come  along  and  take  his  dinner  off  my  leg." 

"Bah,"  said  Shorty,  contemptuously ;  "no  alligator- 
gar  is  goin'  to  come  up  into  this  mud-freshet.  He'd 
ruther  hunt  dogs  and  nigger-babies  further  down  the 
river.  Likes  'em  better.  He  ain't  goin'  to  gnaw  at 
them  old  Wabash  sycamore  legs  o'  yourn  when  he 
kin  git  a  bite  at  them  fat  shoats  we  saw  sailin'  down 
stream  awhile  ago." 

"The  belief  in  alligator-gar  is  a  vulgar  and  absurd 
superstition,"  said  the  Lieutenant,  breaking  silence 
for  the  first  time.  "There, isn't  anywhere  in  fresh 
water  a  fish  capable  of  eating  anything  bigger  than 
a  bull-frog." 

"Hullo;  did  West  Point  learn  you  that?"  said 
Shorty.  "You  know  just  about  as  much  about  it  as 
you  do  about  gittin'  over  cricks  an'  paddlin'  a  canoe. 
Have  you  ever  bin  interduced  to  a  Mississippi  cat 
fish?  Have  you  ever  seen  an  alligator-gar  at  home 
in  the  Lower  Mississippi?  Naw!  You  don't  know 


60  SI    KLEGG. 

no  more  about  them  than  a  baby  does  about  a  cata 
mount.  I  have  heard  tell  of  an  alligator-gar  that 
was  longer'n  a  fence-rail,  and  sort  of  king  of  a  little 
bayou  down  in  the  Teche  country.  He  got  mad  be 
cause  they  run  a  little  stern-wheel  steamboat  up 
into  his  alley  to  git  their  cotton  off,  an'  he  made  up 
his  mind  to  stop  it.  He'd  circle  'round  the  boat  to 
git  a  good  headway  and  pick  out  his  man.  Then 
he'd  take  a  run-and-jump,  leap  clean  across  the  boat, 
knock  off  the  man  he'd  picked  out,  an'  tow  him  off 
under  a  log  an'  eat  him.  He  intended  to  take  the 
Captain  fust,  but  his  appetite  got  the  better  of  him. 
He  saw  a  big,  fat,  juicy  buck  nigger  of  a  deck-hand, 
an'  couldn't  stand  the  temptation.  He  fetched  him 
easy.  Next  he  took  a  nice,  tender  little  cabin-boy. 
Then  he  fetched  the  big  old  Mate,  but  found  him 
so  full  o'  terbacker,  whisky  and  bad  language  that 
he  couldn't  eat  him  nohow,  an'  turned  him  over  to 
the  mudturtles,  what'll  eat  anything.  The  Captain 
then  got  scared  an'  quit.  He  didn't  care  a  hate  for 
the  Mate,  for  he  was  glad  to  git  rid  of  him;  but  he 
liked  the  cabin-boy  an'  he  had  to  pay  the  owner  o' 
the  nigger  $1,200  for  him,  an'  that  made  runnin'  up 
the  Teche  onprofitable." 

"Oh,  Shorty,"  Si  gasped.  He  thought  he  was  ac 
quainted  with  his  partner's  brilliant  talents  for  ro 
mance,  but  this  was  a  meteoric  flight  that  he  had  not 
expected. 

"But  that  wasn't  nothinV  Shorty  continued,  "to 
a  he  catfish  that  a  man  told  me  about  down  near 
Helena,  Ark.  He  used  to  swim  around  in  a  little 
chute  near  a  house-cabin  in  which  lived  a  man  with 
a  mighty  good-lookin'  young  wife.  The  man  was 


AFLOAT   ON   A   LOG.  61 

awful  jealous  of  his  woman,  an'  used  to  beat  her. 
The  ole  he  catfish  had  a  fine  eye  for  purty  women, 
and  used  to  cavort  around  near  the  cabin  whenever 
his  business  would  permit.  The  woman  noticed  him, 
and  it  tickled  him  greatly.  She'd  throw  him  hunks 
o'  bread,  chunks  o'  cold  meat,  and  so  on.  The  man'd 
come  out  and  slap  her,  and  fling  clubs  and  knots  at 
him.  One  day  the  man  put  his  wife  in  a  basswood 
canoe,  and  started  to  take  her  across  the  river.  He 
hadn't  got  a  rod  from  the  shore  when  the  old  he 
catfish  ups  and  bites  the  canoe  in  two,  then  nips  the 
man's  hand  so's  he  didn't  git  over  it  for  months,  and 
then  puts  his  nose  under  the  woman's  arm,  and  helps 
her  ashore  as  polite  as  you  please." 

"Shorty,"  gasped  Si,  "if  you  tell  any  more  such 
stories  as  that  this  log'll  certainly  sink.  See  it  how 
it  wobbles  now." 

"I  consider  such  stuff  very  discourteous  to  your 
officer,"  said  the  Lieutenant  stiffly.  "I  shall  make  a 
note  of  it  for  consideration  at  some  future  time." 

"Halt!  Who  goes  thar?"  rang  out  sharply  from 
the  bank. 

"Hush ;  don't  breathe,"  said  Shorty.  They  were  in 
an  eddy,  which  was  sweeping  them  close  to  the  rebel 
bank. 

"Who  air  yo'  haltin'?"  said  a  second  voice. 

"I  see  some  men  in  a  canoe  out  thar.  I  beared 
their  voices  fust,"  said  the  first  voice. 

"Whar'  yo  see  any  men  in  a  canoe?"  asked  the  sec 
ond  incredulously. 

"Right  over  thar.  You  kin  see  'em.  They're 
comin'  Tight  this-a-way.  I'm  a  gwine  t'  halt  'em 
agin  an'  then  shoot." 


62  SI    KLEGG. 

"Stuff,"  said  the  other.  "You're  allers  seein'  shad- 
ders  an'  ghostses.  That  'er's  only  an  ole  tree  with 
three  limbs  stickin'  up.  Don't  yo'  shoot  an'  skeer  the 
whole  camp.  They'll  have  the  grand  laugh  on  yo', 
an'  mebbe  buck-an'-gag  yo'." 

"  'Tain't  stuff,"  persisted  the  other.  "Thar  never 
wuz  a  tree  that  ever  growed  that  had  three  as  big 
limbs  as  that  all  on  one  side.  You're  moon  blind." 

"A  man  mout  well  be  rain  blind  in  sich  a  storm  as 
this,  but  I  tell  yo'  that's  nothin'  but  an  ole  sycamore 
drift  log.  If  yo'  shoot  the  boys'll  never  git  tired  o' 
damnin'  yo',  an'  jest  as  likely  as  not  the  ossifers'll 
make  yo'  tote  a  rail  through  the  mud  ter-morrer." 

The  boys  were  so  near  that  every  word  could  be 
distinctly  heard,  and  they  were  floating  nearer  every 
moment. 

The  suspense  was  thrilling.  If  the  man  fired  at 
that  distance  he  could  not  help  hitting  one  of  them 
and  discovering  the  others.  They  scarcely  '  "Bathed, 
and  certainly  did  not  move  a  muscle,  as  the  log 
floated  steadily  in-shore  in  the  comparatively  stiller 
waters  of  the  eddy.  The  rain  was  coming  down  per 
sistently  yet,  but  with  a  sullen  quietness,  so  that  the 
silence  was  not  broken  by  the  splashing  of  the  drops. 

A  water-moccasin — deadliest  of  snakes — crawled 
up  onto  the  log  and  coiled  himself  in  front  of  Si,  with 
that  indifference  to  companionship  which  seems  to 
possess  all  animals  in  flood-times.  Si  shuddered  as 
he  saw  it,  but  did  not  dare  make  a  motion  against  it. 

The  dialog  on  the  bank  continued. 

"Thar,  you  kin  see  thar  air  men  in  a  canoe,"  said 
the  first  voice. 

"I  can't  see  nothin'  o'  the  kind,"  replied  the  other. 


AFLOAT   ON   A   LOG.  63 

•'If  hit  ain't  a  log  with  three  dead  limbs,  hit's  a 
piece  o'  barn-timber  with  the  j'ists  a-stickin'  up." 

"I  don't  believe  hit  nary  mite.  Hit's  men,  an'  I'm 
a-gwine  t'  shoot." 

''No,  yo'  hain't  gwine  t'  make  a  durned  fool  o' 
yourself.  Wait  a  minute.  Hit's  a-comin'  nigher,  an' 
soon  you  kin  hit  it  with  a  rock.  I'll  jest  do  hit  t' 
show  yo  how  skeery  yo'  air.  Le'me  look  around  an' 
find  a  good  rock  t'  throw.  If  I  kin  find  jest  the  right 
kind  I  kin  hit  a  yallerhammer  at  that  distance." 

This  prospect  was  hardly  more  reassuring  than 
that  of  being  fired  at,  but  there  was  nothing  to  do 
but  to  take  whatever  might  come.  To  make  it  more 
aggravating,  the  current  had  slowed  down,  until 
the  motion  of  their  log  was  very  languid.  They  were 
about  100  feet  from  the  shore  when  they  heard  the 
second  voice  say : 

"Heah,  I've  got  jest  the  right  kind  o'  a  dornick. 
Now  ip-"^  keep  yer  eye  peeled  an'  fixed  on  that  center 
limb,  an'  yo'll  hear  it  chunk  when  I  plunk  hit  an' 
show  hit's  nothin'  but  a  stick  o'  wood. 

Si  thought  he  saw  the  Lieutenant  crouch  a  little, 
but  was  not  sure. 

The  stone  came  whistling  through  the  air,  struck 
the  top  of  the  Lieutenant's  cap  and  knocked  it  off 
into  the  water. 

"Thar,"  said  the  second  voice  triumphantly;  "yo' 
see  hit  ain't  no  men.  Jest  as  I  done  tole  yo'.  I 
knocked  the  bark  offen  the  end  o'  one  o'  the  sticks." 

The  log  moved  slowly  on,  and  presently  catching 
in  a  stronger  current,  swept  out  into  the  stream 
again.  It  seemed  so  like  deliverance,  that  Si  made 
a  quick  blow  and  knocked  the  snake  off  into  the 


64  SI    KLEGG. 

water,  and  Shorty  could  not  help  shouting  trium 
phantly  : 

"Good-by,  Johnnies!  Sorry  we  can't  stay  with 
you  longer.  Got  other  engagements  down  the  crick. 
Ta-ta!  See  you  later." 

The  chagrined  sentry  fired  an  angry  shot,  but  they 
were  already  behind  a  clump  of  willows. 

"Lootenant,"  said  Shorty,  "you  put  on  a  whole 
lot  of  unnecessary  frills,  but  you've  got  good  stuff 
in  you  after  all.  You  went  through  that  little  affair 
like  a  man.  I'll  back  you  after  this." 

"When  I  desire  your  opinion,  sir,  as  to  my  con 
duct,"  replied  the  Lieutenant,  "I  shall  ask  you  for  it. 
Until  then  keep  it  to  yourself.  It  is  for  me  to  speak 
of  your  conduct,  not  you  of  mine." 

But  again  they  "had  hollered  before  they  were  out 
o'  the  woods,"  as  Shorty  afterward  expressed  it.  The 
gunfire  and  the  sound  of  their  voices  so  near  shore 
had  stirred  up  the  rebels.  A  canoe  with  three  men 
in  it  had  pushed  out,  and,  struggling  with  the  cur 
rent,  had  made  its  way  toward  them,  guided  by  their 
own  voices.  The  top  of  a  floating  tree  had  hidden  it 
from  their  sight  until  it  suddenly  came  around  the 
mass  of  leafage,  and  a  man  standing  up  in  the  bow 
leveling  a  revolver  at  them  ordered  instant  surren 
der.  The  other  two  men  were  sitting  in  the  middle 
and  stern  with  paddles,  and  having  all  they  could 
do  to  maintain  the  course  of  the  canoe. 

Si  and  Shorty  were  so  startled  that  for  an  instant 
they  made  no  response  to  the  demand.  The  Lieuten 
ant  was  the  first  to  speak : 

"Are  you  a  commissioned  officer?"  he  inquired. 

"No,"  was  the  answer. 


AFLOAT   ON   A   LOG.  65 

"Then  I  refuse  to  surrender.  I'll  surrender  to  no 
one  inferior  to  me  in  rank." 

"Sorry  we'uns  can't  obleege  yo',  nohow,"  said  the 
man  with  the  revolver,  in  a  sneer;  "but  we'uns'll 
have  t'  be  good  enough  commissioned  ossifers  for  yo' 
jist  now,  an'  yo'll  have  t'  done  hold  up  yo'uns  hands. 
We'uns  hain't  no  time  t'  send  ashore  for  a  Looten- 
ant." 

The  other  two  chuckled  as  they  struggled  with  the 
current,  and  forced  the  canoe  up  close  to  the  log. 
Shorty  made  a  motion  as  if  throwing  up  his  hands, 
and  called  out  in  a  submissive  way : 

"Here,  le'me  git  hold  o'  the  bow,  and  I  kin  help 
you.  It's  awful  hard  paddlin'  in  this  current." 

Without  thinking  the  men  threw  the  bow  in  so 
close  that  Shorty  could  clutch  it  with  his  long  hand. 
The  grab  shook  the  ticklish  craft,  so  that  the  man 
with  the  revolver  could  scarcely  keep  his  feet. 

"Heah,"  he  yelled  at  the  other  two.  "Keep  the 
dugout  stiddy.  What  air  yo'uns  doin'?  Hold  her 
off,  I  tell  yo'uns." 

Then  to  the  Lieutenant : . 

"Heah,  yo'uns  surrender  to  wonst,  or  I'll  blow  yo' 
heads  offen  yo'uns." 

The  Lieutenant  started  a  further  remonstrance, 
but  Shorty  had  in  the  meantime  got  the  other  hand 
on  the  canoe,  and  he  gave  it  such  a  wrench  that  the 
man  with  the  pistol  lost  his  footing  and  fell  across 
the  log,  where  he  was  grabbed  by  Shorty  and  his 
pistol-hand  secured.  The  stern  of  the  canoe  had 
swung  around  until  Si  had  been  able  to  catch  it  with 
one  hand,  while  with  the  other  he  grabbed  the  man 


66  SI    KLEGG. 

in  the  stern,  who,  seeing  the  sudden  assumption  of 
hostilities,  had  raised  his  paddle  to  strike. 

Si  and  Shorty  had  somewhat  the  advantage  in 
position.  .By  holding  on  to  the  log  with  their  legs 
they  had  a  comparatively  firm,  base,  while  the  canoe 
was  a  very  ticklish  foundation  for  a  fight. 

The  middle  man  also  raised  his  paddle  to  strike, 
but  the  Lieutenant  caught  it  and  tried  to  wrest  it 
away.  This  held  the  canoe  and  the  log  close  together 
while  Si  and  Shorty  were  struggling.  Si  saw  this, 
and  letting  go,  devoted  both  hands  to  this  man,  whom 
he  pulled  over  into  the  water  about  the  same  time 
that  Shorty  possessed  himself  of  the  other  man's 
pistol  and  dragged  him  out  of  the  canoe. 

"Hold  fast  in  the  center  there,  Lieutenant,"  he 
called  out,  as  he  dropped  the  pistol  into  his  bosom 
and  took  in  the  situation  with  a  quick  glance.  "You 
two  Johnnies  hold  on  to  the  log  like  grim  death  to  a 
dead  nigger,  and  you  won't  drown." 

He  carefully  worked  himself  from  the  log  into  the 
canoe,  and  then  Si  did  the  same.  They  had  come  to 
a  part  where  the  water  ^spread  out  in  a  broad  and 
.tolerably  calm  lake  over  the  valley,  but  there  was  a 
gorge  at  the  further  end  through  which  it  was  rush 
ing  with  a  roar.  Log  and  canoe  were  drifting  in  that 
direction,  and  while  the  changes  were  being  made 
the  canoe  drifted  away  from  the  log. 

"Hold  on,  men,"  shouted  the  Lieutenant ;  "you  are 
certainly  not  going  to  abandon  your  officer?" 

"Certainly  not,"  said  Shorty.  "How  could  you  im 
agine  such  a  thing?  But  just  how  to  trade  you  off 
for  this  rebel  passenger  presents  difficulties.  If  we 
try  to  throw  him  everboard  we  shall  certainly  tip 


AFLOAT   ON   A   LOG.  67 

the  canoe  over.  And  I'm  afraid  he's  not  the  man  to 
give  up  peaceably  a  dry  seat  in  the  canoe  for  your 
berth  on  the  log." 

"I  order  you  to  come  back  here  at  once  and  take 
me  in  that  boat,"  said  the  Lieutenant  imperatively. 

"We  are  comin'  back  all  right,"  said  Shorty;  ''but 
we're  not  goin'  to  let  you  tip  this  canoe  over  for  40 
Second  Lieutenants.  We'll  git  you  out  o'  the  scrape 
somehow.  Don't  fret." 

"Hello,  thar!  Help!  Help!"  came  across  the  waters 
in  agonized  tones,  which  at  the  same  time  had  some 
thing  familiar  in  them. 

"Hello,  yourself!"  responded  Shorty,  making  out, 
a  little  distance  away,  a  "jo-boat," — that  is,  a  rude, 
clumsy  square-bottomed,  square-ended  sort  of  a  skiff 
— in  which  was  one  man.  "What's  wanted?" 

"I'm  out  here  adrift  without  no  oars,"  came  in  the 
now-distinctly  recognizable  voice  of  Jeff  Hackberry. 
"Won't  yo'  please  tow  me  ashore?" 

"Le's  go  out  there  and  git  him,"  said  Shorty  to  Si. 
"We  kin  put  all  these  fellers  in  that  jo-boat  and  save 
'em." 

A  few  strokes  of  their  paddles  brought  them 
alongside. 

"How  in  the  world  did  you  come  here,  Hackberry," 
asked  Shorty. 

"0,  that  ole  woman  that  I  wanted  so  bad  that  I 
couldn't  rest  till  I  got  her  wuz  red-hot  t'  git  rid  o' 
me,"  whined  Hackberry.  "She  tried  half-a-dozen 
ways — puttin'  wild  parsnip  in  my  likker,  giving  me 
pokeberry  bitters,  and  so  on,  but  nothin'  fetched  me. 
Finally  she  deviled  me  to  carry  her  acrost  the  crick 
to  the  Confederit  lines.  I  found  this  ole  jo-boat  at 


68  SI    KLEGG. 

last,  an'  we  got  in.  Suddently,  quick  as  lightning 
she  picked  up  the  oars,  an'  give  the  boat  a  kick  which 
sent  hit  away  out  into  the  current.  I  floated  away, 
yellin'  at  her,  an'  she  standin'  on  the  bank  grinnin' 
at  me  and  cussin'.  I've  been  havin'  the  awfulest  day 
floatin'  down  the  freshet,  expectin'  every  minute  t' 
be  drowned,  an'  both  sides  pluggin'  away  at  me 
whenever  they  ketched  sight  o'  me.  I  wuz  willin'  t' 
surrender  t'  either  one  that'd  save  me  from  being 
drownded,  but  none  of  'em  seemed  t'  care  a  dura 
about  my  drowndin' ;  they  only  wanted  t'  plug  me." 

"Please  save  me,  Mister,"  begged  Jeff,  "an*  I'll  do 
anything  under  the  shinin'  sun  for  yo' ;  I'll  jine  the 
Yankee  army;  I'll  lead  you'  to  whar  thar's  nests  o' 
the  pizenest  bushwhackers.  I'll  do  anything  yo'  kin 
ax  me.  Only  save  me  from  being  drownded.  Right 
down  thar's  the  big  falls,  an'  if  I  go  over  them, 
nothin'  kin  same  me  from  drowndin'."  And  he  be 
gan  a  doleful  blubbering. 

"On  general  principles,  I  think  that'd  be  the  best 
thing  that  could  happen,"  remarked  Shorty.  "But  I 
haven't  time  to  discuss  that  now.  Will  you  do  just 
what  we  want,  if  we  save  your  life  ?" 

"Yes ;  yes,"  responded  he  eagerly. 

"Well,  if  you  don't,  at  the  very  minute  I  tell  you, 
I'll  plug  you  for  certain  with  this,"  said  Shorty, 
showing  the  revolver.  "Mind,  I'll  not  speak  twice. 
I'll  give  you  no  warnin'.  You  do  what  I  tell  you  on 
the  jump,  or  I'll  be  worse  to  you  than  Mrs.  Bolster. 
First  place,  take  this  man  in  with  you.  And  you  (to 
the  rebel  in  the  canoe)  mind  how  you  git  into  that 
boat.  Don't  you  dare,  on  your  life,  kick  the  canoe 
over  as  you  crawl  out.  If  I  find  it  rocks  the  least 


AFLOAT   ON   A  LOG.  69 

bit  as  you  leave  I'll  bust  your  cocoanut  as  the  last  act 
of  my  military  career.  Now  crawl  out." 

The  rebel  crawled  over  the  gunwale  into  the  boat 
as  cautiously  as  if  there  were  torpedoes  under  him. 

"Now,"  said  Shorty,  with  a  sigh  of  relief,  as  the 
man  was  at  last  out  of  the  canoe,  "we'll  paddle 
around  here  and  pick  up  some  pieces  of  boards  for 
you  to  use  as  oars.  Then  you  bring  the  boat  over  to 
that  log." 

This  was  done,  and  the  Lieutenant  and  the  two 
rebels  clinging  to  the  log  were  transferred  to  the 
jo-boat.  The  moment  the  Lieutenant  felt  himself  in 
the  comparative  security  of  the  jo-boat  his  desire  for 
command  asserted  itself. 

"Now,  men,"  said  he,  authoritatively,  "pull  away 
for  the  other  side,  pointing  up  stream.  That  glow 
over  there  is  our  campfires.  Make  for  it." 

"All  right,  Lootenant,"  said  Shorty.  "You  com 
mand  that  boat.  You've  got  your  revolver  with  you, 
and  kin  make  'em  mind.  We'll  pick  up  some  more 
boards,  so  as  to  have  oars  for  all  o'  'em.  They'd  bet 
ter  use  'em  lively,  for  it  ain't  a  great  ways  t'  the 
suck.  If  you  git  into  that  you'll  go  to  Davy  Jones's 
as  sure  as  the  Lord  made  little  apples.  Paddle,  now, 
if  you  value  your  lives.  Me  and  Si  are  goin'  back  to 
look  for  that  galoot  that  shot  at  us.  We  want  to 
make  a  present  of  him  to  our  Colonel,  who's  after  in 
formation  from  the  other  side.  We  want  his  gun 
and  another  one  to  make  up  for  the  two  that  we  had 
to  leave  on  the  island.  We'll  join  you  before  you  git 
acrost." 

The  Lieutenant  lifted  up  his  voice  in  remonstrance 
against  the  desperate  undertaking,  but  Si  and  Shorty 


70  SI    KLEGG. 

paddled  swiftly  away,  leaving  him  and  his  squad  to 
struggle  over  the  muddy  lake  in  their  clumsy  bateau. 

Though  the  boys  were  sadly  worn  by  the  day's  ex 
citing  adventures,  yet  they  were  animated  by  the 
hope  of  doing  something  that  would  signally  retrieve 
their  earlier  misfortunes.  Both  were  adepts  at  ca 
noe  navigation,  the  canoe  was  light  and  easily  man 
aged  with  but  two  in  it,  and  they  had  gotten  the  lay 
of  the  shore  so  well  in  mind  that  they  felt  sure  that 
they  could  slip  around  and  come  in  on  the  man  who 
had  fired  upon  them.  The  drizzle  of  the  rain  helped 
curtain  them;  they  pushed  the  canoe  through  the 
top  of  a  paw-paw  thicket  that  rose  but  a  little  way 
above  the  flood,  Shorty  sprang  out,  and  in  a  few 
steps  came  up  behind  the  two  pickets,  who  were 
crouching  over  a  little  fire  they  had  built  behind  the 
cover  of  some  dense  weeds. 

"Was  this  the  post  that  fired  on  men  in  a  canoe  a 
little  while  ago?"  he  asked,  as  if  a  rebel  officer  out 
on  a  tour  of  investigation. 

"Yes,"  the  men  stammered,  as  soon  as  they  could 
recover  from  the  startle  of  his  sudden  appearance. 

"Which  man  fired?"  asked  Shorty. 

"Me,"  answered  one. 

"Well,  I  want  you  and  both  your  guns,"  said 
Shorty,  thrusting  his  revolver  against  the  man's 
face.  "Pick  up  them  guns  and  go  right  ahead  there." 

The  man  meekly  did  as  bid,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
was  landed  into  the  canoe,  into  which  Shorty  jumped 
and  pushed  off.  When  nearly  across  they  came  upon 
the  jo-boat,  with  the  Lieutenant  standing  erect  with 
drawn  revolver,  while  the  men  were  laboring  hard 


AFLOAT   ON    A   LOG.  71 

to  propel  it  to  shore.  The  boys  fastened  its  painter 
to  the  stern  of  the  canoe  and  helped  by  towing. 

They  headed  for  a  large  fire  burning  brightly  on 
the  bank,  indicating  that  it  was  the  headquarters  of 
the  pickets.  In  response  to  the  sharp  challenge,  the 
Lieutenant  responded : 

"Friends,  without  the  countersign." 

Quite  a  number  of  officers  and  men  thronged  to  the 
water's  edge  to  see  what  could  be  coming  from  that 
unexpected  quarter.  The  Lieutenant  ordered  the 
boys  to  fall  to  the  rear  with  their  canoe,  that  he 
might  be  the  first  to  land,  and  as  his  bateau  labored 
close  to  the  shore  he  recognized  the  Colonel  in  com 
mand  of  the  picket  line,  and  said  in  a  loud  voice : 

"Sir,  I  have  the  honor  to  report  that  I  have  been 
across  the  creek  reconnoitering  the  enemy's  lines.  I 
have  with  me  five  prisoners — four  soldiers  and  one 
guerrilla." 


CHAPTER  VI. 


DISTRESSING  ENEMIES  OTHER  THAN  THE  REBELS,  AND 
RAIN,   MUD,  AND  SWOLLEN   STREAMS. 

SI  WOKE   up   early  the   next  morning  with  a 
savage  exclamation. 

"I  declare,  I'm  all  on  fire,"  he  said.  Some 
thing's  just  eating  me  up.  I  believe  I've  got  a  mil 
lion  graybacks  on  me." 

"Same  here,  Si,"  said  Shorty.  "Never  knowed 
'em  to  be  so  bad.  Seem  to  've  just  got  in  from  a 
march,  and  are  chawin'  three  days'  rations  out  o'  me 
every  minute.  I'd  'a'  thought  they'd  all  've  bin 
drowned  from  the  duckin'  they've  bin  havin'  for  the 
past  five  days,  but  it  only  seems  to  Ve  sharpened 
their  teeth  and  whetted  their  appetites.  They've 
all  come  to  dinner,  and  invited  their  friends." 

"Where  in  the  world  could  they  have  all  come 
from?"  meditated  Si.  "We  wuz  certainly  clean  of 
'em  when  we  started  out  six  days  ago." 

"0,  the  rebels  skipped  out  in  sich  a  hurry,"  ex 
plained  Shorty,  "that  they  even  dropped  their  house 
hold  pets,  which  we  inherited  as  we  follered  'em  up. 
I  wish  this  infernal  rain'd  let  up  long  enough  for 
us  to  do  some  skirmishin'  and  bile  our  clothes.  Or 
if  the  sun'd  only  come  out  an  hour  or  two,  we 
could  find  an  ant-hill,  an'  lay  our  clothes  on  it.  I 
don't  know  any  little  thing  that  I  enjoy  more  on  a 
pleasant  day  when  we've  bin  a  long  march  and  got 


DISTRESSING  ENEMIES.  73 

mighty  'crumby/  than  to  pull  off  my  shirt  and  lay 
it  on  a  lively  ant-hill,  and  light  my  pipe  and  set 
there  and  watch  the  busy  ants  collar  its  inhabitants 
and  carry  'em  off  to  fill  up  their  smoke-houses  with 
Winter  meat." 

He  put  his  hand  meditatively  into  his  bosom  as 
he  spoke.  As  he  withdrew  it  he  looked  down  and 
exclaimed : 

"Jehosephat,  it's  fleas,  too.  Just  look  there.  I'm 
alive  with  fleas." 

"Same  here,"  ejaculated  Si,  who  had  made  a  sim 
ilar  discovery.  "Just  look  at  'em,  hoppin'  out  every 
where.  The  rebels  have  not  only  set  their  grayback 
infantry  on  to  us,  but  are  jumping  us  with  their 
flea  cavalry." 

"If  you  call  the  graybacks  infantry  and  the  fleas 
cavalry,  what  in  the  world  do  you  call  these,  Si?" 
said  Shorty,  who  had  made  still  another  discovery, 
and  was  pointing  to  his  wrists  and  ankles,  where 
rows  of  gorged  ticks,  looking  like  drops  of  fresh 
blood,  encircled  his  limbs. 

"Them's  heavy  artillery,"  answered  Si;  "and, 
Great  Scott,  I've  got  more  of  'em  on  me  than  you 
have.  And  there's  some  just  back  of  your  ears, 
Shorty.  Be  careful,  Shorty.  Don't  touch  'em.  Le' 
me  work  'em  off.  Be  awful  careful.  If  you  break 
their  heads  off  they'll  stay  in  and  make  a  sore  that'll 
almost  never  get  well." 

They  looked  down  the  lines  of  men  who,  like 
themselves,  had  been  rudely  awakened  from  their 
slumber  on  wet  beds  by  "the  pestilence  that  walk- 
eth  by  night."  There  were  howls,  yells,  oaths  and 
imprecations  from  everybody.  Officers  forgot  their 


74  SI   KLEGG. 

carefully-maintained  dignity,  and  were  as  vociferous 
and  profane  as  the  men. 

Many  were  stripped,  and  trying  to  singe  their  wet 
clothes  over  the  smoldering  fires.  Many  were  even 
trying  to  subdue  the  pests  by  thrashing  their  gar 
ments  in  the  cold  water  of  the  creek. 

"  'Bout  as  much  use  as  a  General  Order  from 
Army  Headquarters  would  be  agin  the  varmints," 
said  Shorty,  as  he  watched  their  futile  labors.  "Say, 
you  fellers,"  he  called  out  to  them;  "why  don't  you 
repeat  the  Ten  Commandments  to  'em  ?  Or  sing  the 
doxology?  It'll  do  just  as  much  good  as  sloshing 
your  duds  around  in  the  water.  The  water  only 
makes  'em  savager'n  ever.  You  ought  to  know  that 
from  experience." 

By  the  happy  thought  of  gently  touching  the 
gorged  wood-ticks  with  the  point  of  a  pin  Si  and 
Shorty  had  gotten  rid  of  those  plagues,  heads  and 
all,  so  as  to  leave  no  apprehension  as  to  future  sores. 
They  communicated  this  method  to  their  afflicted 
comrades,  and  then  turned  their  attention  to  the 
other  parasites. 

"I  guess  I'll  just  go  down  to  the  Surgeon's  tent 
and  git  a  pound  of  angwintum,"  said  Shorty,  "and 
rub  myself  from  head  to  foot  with  it.  That's  the 
only  thing  I  know  of  that'll  do  the  least  good." 

"Mustn't  do  that,"  objected  Si.  "Put  angwintum 
on  you  and  get  wet,  and  you'll  be  salivated.  You 
ought  to  know  that." 

"I  don't  care,"  said  Shorty  desperately.  "I'd 
rather  be  salivated  till  my  teeth  drop  out  and  my 
hair  falls  off  than  be  carried  off  in  large  chunks  by 
fleas  and  graybacks.  Come  along." 


DISTRESSING  ENEMIES.  75 

"Mebbe  the  Surgeon  has  something  else  that'll 
pizen  these  little  cusses,"  said  Si,  falling  in  with  his 
comrade. 

They  found  a  clamorous  group  around  the  Sur 
geon's  tent,  asking  for  "angwintum  (mercurial 
ointment)  or  anything  else  that  would  alleviate  their 
torments.  The  worried  Surgeon  was  scratching 
himself  as  he  explained  to  the  Colonel : 

"It  seems  to  me,  'Colonel,  that  the  rising  water 
has  concentrated  all  these  parasites  on  the  higher 
ground  over  which  we  have  come.  This  is  the  only 
way  in  which  I  can  account  for  their  severe  visita 
tion  upon  us.  The  parasites  seem  to  have  the  same 
instinct  to  gather  on  elevated  spots  when  the  water 
is  rising  that  other  animals  have,  and  we  have  con 
sequently  gathered  up  four  or  five  times  as  many,  to 
say  the  least,  as  we  should  otherwise  have  gotten. 
But  you  don't  know  the  worst  of  it  yet.  You  see 
those  men?  They  have  sore  feet.  But  it  isn't  ordi 
nary  sore  feet.  They've  got  chiggers  in  their  feet." 

"Chiggers.    What  are  they?"  asked  the  Colonel. 

"Chiggers,  jiggers,  chigoes — pulex  penetrans," 
answered  the  Surgeon.  "They  are  a  great  pest  in 
the  tropics,  where  the  people  go  barefooted  and  do 
not  take  any  care  of  their  feet.  This  is  the  first 
time  that  I  have  ever  heard  of  them  being  so  far 
north.  But  there  is  no  doubt  about  their  being 
chiggers.  They  burrow  in  under  the  skin,  and  cause 
a  great  deal  of  suffering.  Some  of  the  men's  hands 
and  fingers  are  also  affected  by  them.  They  are 
terrible  things  to  deal  with  when  they  once  get  the 
start.  If  this  thing  goes  on,  not  a  man  in  the  regi 
ment  will  be  able  to  walk  a  step." 


76  SI    KLEGG. 

"What  can  be  done?"  gasped  the  Colonel,  gripping 
for  a  flea  in  his  bosom. 

"Nothing,"  answered  the  Surgeon,  smashing  an 
insect  on  the  back  of  his  hand,  "except  to  issue  a 
stringent  order  that  the  men  must  take  special  care 
of  their  feet  and  hands." 

"Humph,"  said  the  Colonel,  scornfully,  as  he 
caught  a  bug  on  his  wrist;  "much  sense  in  an  order 
of  that  kind,  when  the  men  have  to  wade  through 
mud  and  water  18  hours  out  of  24,  and  then  sleep 
in  it  the  other  six.  Is  that  the  best  you  can  sug 
gest?  Is  that  all  your  conscience  has  to  offer?  Re 
member  that  you  are  responsible  for  the  efficiency 
of  the  men  on  this  great  campaign,  upon  which 
the  safety  of  the  country  depends.  It  will  be  a  se 
vere  reflection  upon  you  if  you  allow  them  to  be 
broken  down  by  a  few  insects." 

"Great  Pharaoh  and  Moses,"  responded  the  Sur 
geon  irritably,  as  he  grabbed  for  "a  bite"  on  his 
throat.  "Here  we  are,  confronted  with  a  condi 
tion  of  things  like  the  curses  which  God  Almighty 
sent  against  the  Egyptians,  and  you  expect  me  to 
manage  it  with  quinine  and  epsom  salts.  It  can't 
be  done,  Colonel." 

"Isn't  there  anything  that  you  can  suggest  or 
recommend  that  will  mitigate  this  trouble?"  said 
the  Colonel  in  a  more  conciliatory  manner,  for  he 
had  just  succeeded  in  crushing  a  tormentor.  "Cer 
tainly,  there  must  be  something  in  your  pharma 
copeia  which  will  at  least  retard  these  infernal 
vermin  from  eating  my  men  alive.  Can't  you  at 
least  check  them  a  little  until  we  can  get  through 
the  campaign?  Then  the  men  can  be  trusted  to 


DISTRESSING  ENEMIES.  77 

take  care  of  themselves."  And  the  Colonel  made  a 
swoop  for  a  particularly  vicious  flea  which  was  ban 
queting  on  the  lobe  of  his  ear. 

"I  never  set  up  as  a  sharp  on  parasites,"  said 


TM    ALL   ON    FIRE." 

the  Surgeon,  running  down  a  "small  deer"  inside 
his  collar;  but  I  remember  to  have  read  that  an 
application  of  tobacco- juice  is  about  as  effective  a 
preventive  of  insect  bites  as  can  be  found." 

"That'll  do ;  that'll  do,"  said  Shorty  triumphantly, 


78  SI    KLEGG. 

as  he  and  Si  started  back  to  their  places  to  act  at 
once  on  the  Surgeon's  suggestion.  "Just  the  thing. 
Tobacker'll  kill  'em  deader  than  small-beer.  W"hy 
didn't  I  think  about  it  before?" 

Shorty  had  some  strong  black  plug  tobacco.  He 
cut  this  up  into  small  pieces,  while  Si  found  an  old 
tin  can,  into  which  they  were  put,  and  then  the  can 
filled  up  with  boiling  water. 

"Let's  make  her  good  and  strong,  Si,"  said  Shorty, 
putting  in  some  more  tobacco;  "for  the  fellers  are 
sock-dolagers,  and  it  will  take  a  horse  dose  to  kill  'em. 
They'll  just  enjoy  a  little  taste  o'  terbacker.  Make 
it  strong  enough  to  bear  up  an  aig.  Now,  let's  git 
our  clothes  off  while  it's  coolin'  down.  You  drench 
me,  and  I'll  drench  you,  and  we'll  salivate  these  galli- 
nippers  in  a  way  that'll  surprise  'em." 

The  surprise  seemed  to  be  mostly  on  the  other 
side.  Shorty's  skin  was  raw  from  head  to  foot  from 
the  depredations  of  the  various  tribes  of  "epizoa," 
as  the  physicians  generalize  them.  He  gave  a  yell 
that  could  be  heard  through  the  whole  regiment  as 
the  acrid,  biting  tobacco-juice  struck  a  thousand 
little  punctures  in  his  skin  inside  of  a  second. 
Everybody  rushed  up  to  see  what  was  the  matter, 
and  stood  around,  laughing  and  commenting,  while 
scratching  and  slapping  at  their  own  colonies  of  tor 
mentors.  Then  Shorty  began  the  most  vehement 
stream  of  profanity,  and  showered  maledictions  on 
everything  in  the  State  of  Tennessee,  which  was  only 
a  breeding  place  for  fleas,  woodticks,  jiggers,  gray- 
backs,  niggers,  rebels,  traitors,  bushwhackers, 
guerrillas,  thieves,  robbers  and  murderers,  and  other 
spawn  of  Jeff  Davisism.  Presently  he  grew  vio- 


DISTRESSING  ENEMIES.  79 

lently  sick  at  the  stomach,  turned  deathly  white,  and 
i'ainted.  Frightened,  Si  rushed  for  the  Surgeon. 

"Only  tobacco  poisoning,"  said  the  latter,  after 
he  had  looked  Shorty  over  carefully.  "You  made 
that  solution  too  strong,  and  the  lot  of  little  punc 
tures  took  it  directly  into  his  circulation.  You 
might  have  killed  him  if  you  had  made  it  stronger, 
or  got  more  of  it  on  him.  I  never  saw  such  rapscal 
lions  as  you  boys  are.  You  are  always  trying  to 
kill  yourselves  or  one  another,  in  spite  of  all  that 
I  can  do  or  tell  you.  A  man  that's  Surgeon  of  this 
regiment  has  to  earn  his  money,  I  tell  you.  He  will 
come  out  all  right  pretty  soon,  only  he  will  be  very 
weak.  I'll  send  you  down  some  whisky  to  give  him." 

"Real  old  rye,  Doctor?"  said  Shorty,  very  faintly, 
and  opening  his  eyes  feebly.  "None  of  your  Com 
missary  stuff.  This  is  a  powerful  bad  case,  and  I 
need  the  best." 

"You  shall  have  it,"  laughed  the  Surgeon.  "I 
know  you.  You  are  all  right  when  you  are  all  right. 
But  you  won't  be  able  to  march  with  the  column 
to-day.  I'll  give  you  an  excuse  from  duty.  And 
you  (to  Si)  had  better  stay  with  him.  I'll  speak  to 
your  Captain." 

The  bugles  were  sounding  the  "assembly"  every 
where,  and  the  men,  slapping  and  scratching  as  if 
they  would  tear  their  flesh  and  their  clothes  off, 
were  hastily  swallowing  their  last  mouthfuls  of  hot 
coffee  and  bread  and  pork,  snatching  up  their  guns 
and  blankets  and  falling  in. 

" Shelby ville  is  only  six  miles  away,"  said  the 
Orderly-Sergeant  as  he  lined  up  Co.  Q,  and  clawed 
around  his  clothes  at  his  persecutors.  "There'll  be 


80  SI    KLEGG. 

a  circus  to-day,  and  no  postponement  on  account  o' 
the  weather.  It'll  either  be  the  gol-darnedest  fight 
that  the  200th  Injianny  Volunteers  ever  got  into  or 
the  cussedest  foot-race  that  ever  wuz  run.  He:re, 
Biles,  consarn  you,  leave  that  fire  and  your  munch 
ing,  and  fall  in.  You're  like  a  cow's  tail — always 
behind." 

Shorty  made  a-  violent  effort  to  rise  up  and  join 
the  company,  but  he  was  manifestly  too  weak.  Si 
was  in  sore  distress.  He  didn't  want  to  leave  him, 
but  he  was  anxious  to  be  with  his  company. 

"Corporal  Klegg,"  said  the  Captain,  coming  down 
the  line,  and  giving  a  frequent  furtive  scratch  at 
himself,  "Shorty  can't  possibly  go  with  us  to-day. 
I'm  awfully  sorry,  but  there  is  no  use  talking  about 
it.  You  must  stay  behind  and  take  care  of  him, 
and  take  care  of  these  sore-footed  men  who  will  be 
unable  to  keep  up.  The  Colonel  orders  you  to  com 
mand  the  whole  outfit.  You  keep  them  together, 
keep  up  as  well  as  you  can,  and  if  you  see  any 
place  that  you  can  be  useful,  go  in.  I  know  and 
the  Colonel  knows  that  you  can  be  trusted  to  do  that." 

This  made  Si  more  reconciled  to  being  left  be 
hind,  and  he  mentally  resolved  that,  though  he 
might  not  be  with  his  beloved  regiment,  he  would 
manage  to  do  his  full  share  in  the  impending  battle 
for  Shelbyville. 

The  "Second  Lieutenant  and  Aid-de-Camp"  came 
up.  It  was  noticed  in  the  distance  that  he  was  suf 
fering  from  the  same  causes  as  the  others,  but  as 
soon  as  he  came  into  the  immediate  presence  of 
the  men  his  official  dignity  asserted  itself,  he  re 
frained  from  nervous  pursuit  of  his  verminiferous 


DISTRESSING  ENEMIES.  81 

assailants,  and  walking  stiffly  up  to  the  Colonel, 
saluted,  and  said: 

"Colonel,  I  came  to  report  the  conduct  of  a  couple 
of  your  men  who  came  under  my  command  night 
before  last,  and  who,  while  doing  very  well  in  some 
respects,  were  so  grossly  disrespectful  to  me  that 
they  should  be  given  a  sharp  lesson.  Unless  this 
is  done,  it  will  tend  to  impair  discipline  and  dimin 
ish  the  respect  which  men  should  show  officers." 

The  Colonel  looked  straight  at  the  young  officer, 
and  noticed  an  unusually  large  insect  emerge  from 
his  collar  and  walk  deliberately  up  his  neck  onto 
his  cheek.  It  must  have  been  intensely  annoying, 
but  dignity  triumphed,  and  the  Lieutenant  stood 
stiffly  as  a  ramrod. 

"I'm  very  sorry  to  hear  that  any  of  my  men 
should  seem  wanting  in  respect  to  their  officers," 
said  the  Colonel  quietly,  as  he  "attended  to"  a  wicked 
flea  which  was  breakfasting  off  his  wrist.  "I  can 
hardly  believe  it.  I  have  the  most  obedient  and  re 
spectful  men  in  the  whole  army.  I'm  afraid  you  did 
something  that  provoked,  if  it  did  not  justify,  dis 
respectful  conduct." 

The  Lieutenant  would  have  been  different  from 
the  rest  of  the  army  if  he  had  not  been  very  short 
of  temper  that  morning.  The  pangs  that  he  was 
compelled  to  endure  without  the  relief  of  scratch 
ing  made  him  still  more  irritable,  and  he  forgot  him 
self  sufficiently  to  answer: 

"I  beg  your  pardon,  sir,  but  you  are  in  error 
when  you  represent  your  men  to  be  respectful  and 
subordinate.  On  the  contrary,  they  are  the  most 
lacking  in  that  of  any  men  in  the  army.  I  am  con- 

4 


82  SI    KLEGG. 

stantly  yelled  at  by  them  as  I  pass,  and  they  say 
very  insulting  things  to  me.  I'm  determined  to 
put  a  stop  to  it,  and  I  want  you  to  begin  with  those 
two  men.  If  you  don't  I  shall  make  a  strong  report 
on  the  subject  to  the  General,  which  may  lead  to 
your  being  placed  under  arrest." 

"Young  man,"  said  the  Colonel  severely,  as  he 
calmly  exterminated  another  one  of  his  tormentors, 
"you  are  so  infested  with  vermin  that^I  can  see 
them  crawling  out  from  your  clothes.  It  is  an  in 
sult  to  me  to  have  you  appear  before  me  in  such  a 
condition.  Get  out  of  here  at  once,  and  never  ap 
proach  me  again  in  such  a  condition,  or  I  shall  be 
compelled  to  deal  with  you  as  you  deserve." 

The  Lieutenant  marched  away,  holding  himself 
more  stiffly  than  ever,  and  the  Colonel  walked  to 
ward  the  other  flank  of  the  regiment,  looking  so 
cross  that  no  one  dared  give  the  laugh  he  was  burst 
ing  with  until  he  had  mounted  his  horse  and  shout 
ed  the  command,  "Forward!" 

The  rain  actually  ceased,  and  the  sun  came  out  for 
the  first  time  in  10  long  days;  from  miles  to  the 
right  and  left  came  sounds  of  infantry  and  artillery 
firing,  gradually  swelling  in  volume.  Under  these 
exciting  influences,  aided,  perhaps,  by  a  really  fine 
article  of  whisky,  which  the  Surgeon  had  left,  Shorty 
rapidly  recovered,  picked  up  his  gun,  threw  his 
blanket-roll  over  his  shoulders,  and  announced  his 
eagerness  to  move  forward.  The  sore-footed  men 
began  to  feel  that  their  feet  were  not  really  as  sore 
as  they  had  thought,  and  they  also  hobbled  forward. 
The  road  by  which  they  had  camped  led  straight 
to  Shelbyville,  and  they  felt  that  by  following  it 


DISTRESSING  ENEMIES.  83 

they  would  have  the  best  chance  of  getting  into  the 
fight.  The  road  was  filled  with  cavalry,  and  Si  and 
his  squad  worked  their  way  through  the  woods  to 
the  right  to  get  up  nearer  the  front  and  find  an  in 
fantry  line. 

"What  in  the  world  are  they  doin'  with  all  these 
cavalry  here?"  said  Shorty  fretfully.  "They  can't 
do  nothin'  agin  the  mud  forts  and  big  guns  and 
miles  o'  breastworks  and  abatis  and  felled  timber 
that  the  rebels  've  bin  puttin'  out  in  front  of  Shel 
by  ville  for  the  last  six  months.  Horses  are  only 
in  the  way  for  sich  work.  They  must  Ve  put  the 
cavalry  back  here  to  be  safe,  while  the  infantry 
does  the  work.  We'll  git  in  ahead  o'  the  'critter-com 
panies'  somewhere  and  find  the  dough-boys." 

At  last  they  came  out  on  a  hill  which  commanded 
a  view  of  the  country,  and  halted,  with  an  exclama 
tion  of  delight  at  the  magnificant  sight  spread  out 
before  hem.  The  sun  was  now  half-way  up  in  the 
sky,  and  shining  with  a  brightness  which  seemed 
divine  after  the  long  period  of  drenching  showers. 
Its  light  was  reflected  in  brilliance  from  thousands 
of  sabers  and  accounterments  and  the  waving  of 
flags  of  the  cavalry  divisions  which  filled  the  coun 
try  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach.  Ascending  the 
slope  at  the  farther  side  of  the  valley  was  a  skir 
mish-line,  two  miles  long,  of  dismounted  cavalry 
men,  from  which  rose  wreathes  of  smoke  as  it 
pressed  steadily  forward  up  the  hill  against  the 
rebels  ensconced  there.  In  the  green  fields  on 
either  side  of  the  road,  and  in  the  road  itself,  were 
regiments  and  brigades  of  horsemen,  massed  up 
solidly,  impatiently  waiting  for  the  progress  of  the 


84  SI    KLEGG. 

skirmishers  to  bring  about  the  moment  when  they 
could  be  hurled  against  the  enemy  in  a  mighty  ava 
lanche  of  war.  Bugles  were  sounding,  flags  flying, 
and  all  was  intense,  high-wrought,  exciting  anima 
tion. 

The  boys  gave  a  cheer  of  exultation  at  the  sight. 
Suddenly  two  little  regiments  separated  themselves 
from  the  rest,  drew  sabers,  and,  with  bugles  sound 
ing  the  charge  and  the  men  yelling,  rode  straight 
at  the  infantry  and  the  batteries  defending  the  crest 
of  the  hill.  The  rebels  broke  before  the  cavalry 
could  reach  them,  and  began  a  wild  flight,  with  in 
fantry,  cavalry  and  artillery  mixed  in  wild  con 
fusion,  and  our  horsemen  swooping  down  on  them, 
capturing  horses,  men  and  cannon. 

On  everybody  swept  until  the  crest  was  gained 
which  commanded  a  view  of  Shelbyville  and  its  fa 
mous  intrenchments.  From  these  cannon  thundered 
out,  and  long  lines  of  infantry  could  be  seen  hurry 
ing  into  the  works  to  repel  the  audacious  horsemen. 
Si  and  Shorty  held  their  breaths,  for  it  seemed 
that  nothing  but  destruction  awaited  the  cavalry  in 
those  awfully-planned  defenses.  But  the  cavalry 
thundered  on  with  a  headlong  speed.  Artillery  gal 
loped  up  on  our  side,  to  answer  that  in  the  works, 
and  the  boys  lost  speech  in  amazement  at  seeing  the 
horsemen  tear  through  the  wide  abatis  and  jump  the 
high  breastworks,  while  the  defenders  streamed 
back  in  rout  into  Shelbyville,  pursued  every  step 
with  yell  and  blow  by  the  furious  cavalry.  Then 
came  the  noise  of  terrible  fighting  in  the  streets  of 
Shelbyville.  Jo  Wheeler  was  massing  every  cannon 
that  could  be  brought  up  to  him  in  a  desperate  effort 


DISTRESSING  ENEMIES.  85 

to  hold  the  town,  at  least,  until  Forrest  could  come  to 
his  help,  or  he  could  make  an  orderly  retreat  across 
Duck  River.  But,  bitterly  as  he  fought,  the  Union 
troopers  fought  still  more  savagely.  They  simply 
would  not  allow  the  thought  of  successful  resistance,  • 
and  wave  after  wave  of  fierce  charges  followed  so 
rapidly  that  Wheeler's  men  broke  and  fled  for  safety 
into  and  across  the  river. 

The  boys  yelled  themselves  hoarse  as  they  saw 
the  stream  of  rebel  fugitives  pour  across  the  river 
and  seek  safety  in  the  country  beyond. 

"Well,  Shelbyville  is  ours  at  last,  after  all  this 
waiting  and  marching  and  manuvering,"  said  Si,  in 
a  tone  of  intense  exultation.  "And  the  cavalry  took 
it.  Wish  it  had  been  the  200th  Injianny  Volunteers. 
I've  always  looked  down  on  the  cavalry,  but  I  won't 
do  so  any  more.  I  wish  the  200th  Injianny  was 
mounted.  My  gracious,  wasn't  it  grand  the  way 
those  fellers  just  galloped  over  everything  in  sight — 
breastworks,  forts,  batteries,  felled  timber,  and 
lines  of  infantry." 

"Yes,"  assented  Shorty.  "I  wouldn't  've  missed 
the  sight  for  the  best  farm  in  the  Wabash  bottoms. 
It  was  worth  marching  10  days  in  the  mud  and 
rain  to  see." 

"Here,  Corporal,"  said  a  Cavalry  Lieutenant,  rid 
ing  up,  "I  want  you  to  take  charge  of  these  prisoners 
with  your  squad,  so  we  can  go  back  and  get  some 
more.  The  woods  are  full  of  them.  I'll  make  out 
a  receipt  for  you  to  sign.  I  think  there's  just  100 
of  them.  Count  them  over  for  yourself." 

"Sure,"  said  Si,  springing  forward. 


CHAPTER    VII. 


THE    EXCITING    ADVANCE  —  TULLAHOMA,  THE    GREAT 
BATTLE   THAT  DID   NOT   COME   OFF. 

DON'T  yo'uns  crow  too  much  over  gittin' 
Shelbyville,"  the  prisoners  said  to  Si. 
"Yo'uns  couldn't  never  've  got  hit  in 
the  world  if  Jinerul  Bragg  hadn't  a'wanted  yo'uns 
to." 

"0,  come  off,"  said  Shorty.  "You  tried  your  best 
to  keep  us  from  gittin'  in.  You  put  up  a  very  pretty 
little  fight,  but  our  cavalry  jest  rode  over  you." 

"Thar  wuz  nobody  thar  but  Jo  Wheeler  and  his 
critter  company,"  persisted  the  prisoners,  "and 
they'd  fout  for  anything.  They'd  fout  yo'uns  for  a 
chaw  of  terbacker,  and  then  gin  the  chaw  back.  Ole 
Bragg  wuz  jist  a-foolin'  with  yo'uns.  He  wuz 
drawin'  yo'uns  on.  He  made  up  his  mind  that  Shel 
byville  wuzn't  the  best  place  for  a  fout,  and  he'd  lay 
for  yo'uns  at  Tullyhomy.  He's  got  his  whole  army 
together  down  thar,  and  he'll  wollop  yo'uns  till  your 
hides  won't  hold  shucks.  Ole  Bragg's  smarter'n  ary 
Yankee  that  ever  lived,  and  he's  fixed  up  a  dead-fall 
for  yo'uns  at  Tullyhomy  that'll  mash  yo'uns  flatter'n 
a  pancack." 

"Let  him  go  ahead  with  his  mashin'  flat,"  answered 
Shorty;  "we're  some  on  the  mash  ourselves,  as  you 
fellers  found  out  at  Stone  River." 

"We'uns  'd  'a'  welted  the  life  outen  yo'uns  at  Stone 


THE  EXCITING  ADVANCE.  87 

River,  if  we'uns  'd  had  jest  a  few  more  men ;  ez  hit 
wuz  we'uns  run  yo'uns  all  over  them  'ere  old  cotton- 
fields  fur  two  days,  tuk  all  yo'uns's  cannon,  an' 
more'n  a  million  prisoners.  Fust  night  I  done 
thought  we'uns  'd  tuk  the  whole  Yankee  army. 
We'uns  done  got  tired  pickin'  up  prisoners  in  them 
ceders  an'  sink-holes,  an'  concluded  t'  leave  the  rest 
thar  fur  seed.  We'uns  jest  f'arly  wore  ourselves  out 
lickin'  yo'uns,  an'  then  yo'uns  got  a  whole  passel  'o 
fresh  men,  an'  we'uns  jest  pulled  back  t'  Shelbyville 
t'  rest,  spit  on  we'uns'  hands  an'  take  a  fresh  holt." 

"How  about  the  last  day,"  inquired  Si,  "over  the 
river  on  the  left,  when  we  tore  you  all  to  flinders 
with  artillery,  and  run  you  back  over  the  hill  and 
took  your  guns?" 

"0,  that  wuz  Breckinridge's  Division,"  said  the 
prisoners,  negligently,  as  if  dismissing  a  matter  of 
little  consequence.  "They'uns  desarved  all  they'uns 
got.  They'uns  wus  sent  for  t'  come  over  and  help 
we'uns  lick  yo'uns  the  fust  two  days,  but  they'uns 
wouldn't  come.  I'm  jest  glad  they'uns  kotched  hit 
good  an'  hard  ez  they'uns  done  got  hit.  But  we'uns 
's  now  got  heaps  more  men  than  we'uns  had  at  Stone 
River,  an'  they're  all  together  over  thar  by  Tully- 
homy.  Lordy,  you  jest  orter  seed  'em  az  I  did.  I 
wuz  on  the  top  of  a  mounting  on  gyard,  whar  I  could 
see  for  a  hundred  miles  in  every  direction,  an'  I  seed 
men  marchin'  toward  Tullyhomy  till  my  eyes  ached 
a-lookin'  at  'em.  Yo'uns  '11  stir  up  a  mouty  sight 
wuss  hornets'  nest  at  Tullyhomy  than  yo'uns  did  at 
Murfreesboro. 

"Well,  we'll  knock  seven  kinds  o'  brimstone  out  o' 
your  hornets'  nest,  big  as  it  may  be,"  answered 


88  SI   KLEGG. 

Shorty.  "The  more  o'  you  there  is  the  better,  for 
we  kin  finish  up  the  job  then,  and  be  done  with  it, 
instid  o'  havin'  to  run  you  "down  an'  knock  you  on 
the  head  one  at  a  time.  We've  more  men,  too,  than 
we  had  at  Stone  River.  There  was  enough  of  us 
before,  but  Old  Abe  just  gethered  up  the  men  in 
three  or  four  new  States,  and  sent  'em  down  to  us 
to  help  make  a  clean,  quick  job  of  it.  All  we  want 
of  you  fellers  is  jest  to  stand  up  and  give  us  a  square 
fight.  We're  no  grayhounds,  to  run  you  fellers  down. 
We  came  down  here  to  fight,  not  to  trot  races  with 
you. 

"Well,  yo'uns'll  git  yer  bellyful  o'  foutin'  over  by 
Tullyhomy,"  shouted  back  the  prisoners  as  they  were 
marched  away  under  guard. 

"It  certainly  does  look  like  we're  to  have  a  bigger 
scrimmage  than  we  had  at  Stone  River,"  said  Si,  as 
he  and  Shorty  were  once  more  alone.  "Our  army  is 
much  larger,  and  it's  all  been  gathered  right  around 
here.  There's  bin  great  rivers  of  men  pouring 
through  all  these  gaps  for  days,  and  we've  talked 
with  fellers  from  every  division  and  brigade  in  the 
army.  There's  entirely  too  many  men  around  here 
for  the  country  to  hold.  Something's  got  to  bust 
soon,  and  when  it  does  bust  there'll  be  an  explosion 
like  that  you  read  about." 

"Well,  let  her  bust,"  answered  Shorty.  "The 
sooner  the  better.  I  want  to  see  it  right  off.  It's  got 
to  come  before  the  war  kin  end,  and  for  my  part  I 
don't  want  to  march  a  step  further  to  find  it.  They 
can't  nohow  git  up  a  worse  time  than  we  had  at 
Stone  River,  and  we  managed  to  live  through  that; 
so  that  I  guess  we  kin  pull  through  another.  If  we 


THE  EXCITING  ADVANCE.  89 

don't,  this  's  just  as  good  a  place  to  go  to  Heaven 
from  as  we  kin  find,  and  we'll  save  a  whole  lot  o' 
worry  by  finishin'  up  now." 

"Well,"  said  Si,  "let's  git  back  to  the  regiment  as 
soon's  possible.  TJie  battle  may  begin  at  any  min 
ute,  and  we  musn't  be  away.  We'd  never  forgive 
ourselves  as  long's  we'd  live  if  we  wasn't  with  the 
boys  when  they  line  up  under  the  colors  for  the 
great  tussle." 

"Getting  to  the  regiment"  was  tedious  and  hard. 
Shorty  was  still  very  weak  from  his  tobacco  experi 
ment,  and  Si  had  worked  almost  to  exhaustion  in 
helping  his  sore-footed  squad  along.  These  were  as 
eager  to  get  back  to  the  regiment  in  time  for  the 
fight,  and  Si  had  not  the  heart  to  leave  any  one  of 
them  behind.  The  roads  were  filled  with  teams  be 
ing  pushed  forward  with  ammunition  and  rations, 
and  every  road  and  path  crowded  with  men  hurrying 
to  the  "front."  They  were  on  the  distant  flank  of 
their  corps  when  they  started  out  in  the  morning, 
and  did  not  succeed  in  reaching  the  rear  of  their 
own  division  until  nightfall.  Though  worn  out  by 
the  day's  painful  tramping  and  winding  around 
through  the  baffling  paths  between  regiments,  bri 
gades  and  divisions,  sometimes  halting  and  some 
times  moving  off  suddenly  and  unexpectedly,  they 
nerved  themselves  for  one  more  effort  to  reach  the 
200th  Ind.  before  they  lay  down  for  the  night.  But 
the  night  was  far  harder  than  the  day.  The  whole 
country  was  full  of  campfires,  around  which  were 
men'  cooking  their  supper,  standing  in  groups,  pipe 
in  mouth,  anxiously  discussing  the  coming  moment 
ous  battle,  and  the  part  their  regiments  would  likely 


90  SI    KLEGG. 

play  in  it,  or  sitting  writing  what  they  felt  might  be 
their  last  letters  home.  All  were  -unutterably  tired, 
and  all  earnestly  thoughtful  over  the  impending  con 
flict.  None  felt  ordinarily  jovial,  communicative  and 
sympathetic  with  foot-sore  stragglers  trying  to  find 
their  regiments.  Even  when  they  were,  the  move 
ments  and  changes  during  the  day  had  been  so 
bewildering  that  their  best-intentioned  directions 
were  more  likely  to  be  wrong  than  right. 

"The  200th  Ind.,"  they  would  say;  "yes,  we  saw 
the  200th  Ind.  about  the  middle  of  the  afternoon, 
right  over  there  on  that  hillside,  where  you  see  that 
old  tree  blazing  up.  They  were  acting  as  if  they 
were  going  into  camp,  and  I  expect  that's  their 
campfires  you  see  there." 

Si,  Shorty  and  the  rest  would  make  their  weary 
way  to  the  point  indicated,  about  a  half-mile  distant, 
only  to  find  that  their  regiment  had  been  sighted  at 
another  point  a  mile  away  in  a  different  direction. 

The  morning  of  July  1,  1863,  was  almost  ready  to 
break  when  they  at  last  came  up  with  their  regiment, 
and  flung  themselves  down  on  the  ground  in  abso 
lute  exhaustion.  Wornout  as  they  were,  their  sol 
dierly  ears  could  not  be  deaf  to  the  stirring  reveille 
which  quickly  followed  the  early  daybreak  of  that 
Summer  morning,  and  summoned  the  regiment  for 
the  final,  decisive  move  upon  the  rebel  stronghold 
of  Tullahoma. 

Though  every  bone  and  muscle  seemed  to  cry  out 
against  it,  Si,  Shorty  and  their  companions  rose  up 
promptly  and  joined  the  regiment. 

Everybody  seemed  sobered  by  the  nearness  of  the 
terrible  battle.  Nobody  laughed,  nobody  swore,  no- 


THE  EXCITING  ADVANCE. 


91 


body  joked,  nobody  played  the  usual  light-hearted 
reveille  tricks.  The  Orderly-Sergeant  did  not  call 
the  roll  with  his  usual  glibness  and  rasp.  He  seemed 
to  linger  a  little  over  each  name,  as  if  thinking 


SI    AND    SHORTY    WERE    THE    FIRST    TO    MOUNT    THE 
PARAPET. 


whether  it  would  be  answered  to  again,  or  he  be 
there  to  call  it.  The  officers  gave  the  commands 
quietly,  even  gently.  The  men  executed  promptly, 
carefully,  and  silently,  as  one  sees  things  done  at  a 


92  SI    KLEGG. 

funeral  or  in  church.  A  hasty  breakfast  was  eaten 
in  silence;  the  men  fell  into  ranks  again,  and  there 
was  a  low  buzz  as  the  cartridge-boxes  were  carefully 
inspected  and  each  man  supplied  with  his  full  quota 
of  ammunition. 

The  Colonel  mounted  his  horse,  and  gave  the 
order,  "Forward — march,"  so  quietly  that  only  the 
leading  company  heard  it.  It  moved  promptly,  and 
the  others  followed. 

The  same  strange  soberness  ruled  the  other  regi 
ments  they  passed  on  their  way  to  take  the  advance. 
There  was  for  once  no  quip  or  jest  from  the  men 
standing  by  the  roadside,  leaning  thoughtfully  on 
their  muskets,  and  awaiting  their  turn  to  march. 
They  merely  watched  them  file  by,  with  steady,  grave 
eyes  and  an  occasional  calm  nod  or  quiet  greeting 
to  an  acquaintance. 

The  hurrah,  the  swagger,  the  noisy  effervescence 
of  a  few  months  ago  had  disappeared  from  men  who 
had  learned  to  know  what  battle  was. 

The  dripping  clouds  cleared  away  as  the  200th 
Ind.  drew  out  into  the  muddy  road,  and  let  the  sun 
suddenly  beam  forth  in  full  Midsummer  power.  In 
an  instant  everybody  was  reeking  with  perspiration, 
panting  for  breath,  and  scorching  inwardly  and  out 
wardly. 

It  was  too  much  for  some  who  had  bravely  main 
tained  their  places  thus  far,  and  they  had  to  sink 
by  the  roadside. 

Every  minute  of  the  first  hour  it  seemed  to  Si  and 
Shorty  that  they  could  not  go  a  rod  farther,  but  at 
the  end  of  every  rod  they  made  an  effort  to  go  an 
other,  and  succeeded.  The  sun  momentarily  grew 


THE  EXCITING  ADVANCE.  93 

more  burning,  but  also  it  seemed  that  every  step 
brought  them  nearer  the  enemy,  and  the  thought 
nerved  them  up  to  further  exertion.  Occasional  rip 
pling  shots  from  watching  parties  of  the  rebel  cav 
alry  helped  stimulate  them. 

Noon  passed.  They  were  so  near  the  works  of 
Tullahoma  that  the  collision  might  come  at  any  min 
ute — could  not  be  postponed  many  minutes.  The 
regiments  left  the  road  and  went  into  line-of -battle, 
stretching  a  long  wave  of  blue  through  the  deep 
green  of  the  thick  forests.  How  far  it  reached  no 
one  could  tell.  Occasional  glimpses  obtained  through 
the  openings  in  the  woods  showed  miles  of  length. 

Everything  was  deeply  quiet,  except  occasional 
startling  crashes  from  rebel  outposts  and  the  dis 
tant  booming  of  cannon  on  the  left. 

The  200th  Ind.  was  advancing  through  a  heavy 
growth  of  jack-oaks. 

Lines  of  rebel  skirmishers  had  occasionally  ap 
peared  in  front  of  the  regiment,  fired  a  few  shots, 
and  then  disappeared.  The  ease  with  which  they 
were  driven  gave  the  impression  that  they  were  try 
ing  to  lead  the  regiment  into  ambush,  and  it  moved 
slowly  and  very  watchfully. 

At  last,  as.  the  hot  sun  was  beginning  to  sink  in 
the  far  west,  the  regiment  came  to  the  edge  of  the 
young  jack-oaks,  and  saw  before  it  a  sight  which 
thrilled  every  heart. 

There,  a  little  distance  away,  lay  the  formidable 
works  guarding  Tullahoma.  To  the  right  and  left, 
as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  stretched  a  bristling 
line  of  abatis  hundreds  of  yards  wide  and  seemingly 
hopelessly  impassable.  It  was  made  of  the  young 


94  SI    KLEGG. 

jack-oaks  felled  outwards  and  their  limbs  sharp 
ened  till  they  were  like  thorns. 

Frowning  behind  this  fearsome  barrier  were  high- 
rising  forts  mounted  with  cannon,  and  connected 
with  long,  sinuous  breastworks.  A  deep  ditch  filled 
with  muddy  water  ran  along  the  foot  of  the  works. 

Squads  of  rebels  could  be  seen  running  back  to 
the  shelter  of  the  fortifications.  Every  man  in  the 
regiment  gave  a  quick,  involuntary  gasp  as  he  saw 
his  work  before  him. 

The  whole  of  the  long  line  was  halted  and  carefully 
dressed  by  the  officers,  still  speaking  as  softly  and 
kindly  as  if  arranging  a  funeral  procession,  and  the 
men  stepping  into  places  promptly,  and" with  a  ten 
der  solemnity  of  manner.  There  was  none  of  the 
customary  rude  jostling  and  impatient  sharpness. 
It  was : 

"You'll  have  to  give  away  to  the  left  a  little,  John ; 
I  kaven't  room." 

"Come  out  there,  boys,  on  the  right.  You're  too 
far  back." 

"Jim,  you'd  better  fall  in  behind.  I  don't  believe 
you're  strong  enough  to  keep  up." 

Even  the  brash  young  "Second  Lieutenant  and 
Aid-de-Camp"  seemed  impressed  with  the  intense 
gravity  of  the  moment.  He  came  up  to  the  Colonel, 
and  seeing  he  was  on  foot,  respectfully  dismounted, 
saluted,  and  said,  without  a  vestige  of  his  usual 
pertness : 

"Colonel,  the  General  presents  his  compliments, 
and  says  that  the  battery  is  badly  stuck  in  the  mud 
a  little  ways  back.  As  we  shall  need  it  very  much, 


THE  EXCITING  ADVANCE.  95 

he  directs  that  you  send  a  company  to  bring  it  up  at 
once." 

"Very  good,  sir,"  said  the  Colonel,  gravely  return 
ing  his  salute,  and  speaking  as  gently  as  at  a  tea- 
table.  "It  shall  be  done.  Capt.  McGillicuddy,  take 
your  company  back  and  bring  up  the  battery." 

"Attention,  Co.  Q,"  suggested  rather  than  com 
manded  Capt.  McGillicuddy.  "Stack  arms.  Cor 
poral  Klegg,  you  and  your  squad  remain  where  you 
are.  You  are  too  tired  to  do  any  good.  "Right  face ; 
file  left;  forward — march." 

The  Colonel  mounted  his  horse,  rode  down  to  the 
center  of  the  regiment,  and  said,  in  a  tone  hardly 
raised  above  the  conversational,  but  which  made 
itself  distinctly  heard  by  every  man: 

"Fix — bayonets." 

There  was  an  ominous  crash  of  steel  as  the  bright 
bayonets  swept  to  their  places. 

"Men,"  continued  the  Colonel  as  quietly  as  if  talk 
ing  to  a  Sunday  school,  "we're  going  to  take  those 
works  with  the  bayonet.  Keep  perfectly  quiet; 
reserve  your  breath  for  quick,  hard  work,  and  pay 
close  attention  to  orders.  We'll  move  in  quick  time 
to  the  edge  of  that  slashing  of  timber;  every  man 
make  his  way  through  it  as  best  he  can,  keeping  as 
near  his  Captain  as  possible.  As  soon  as  through  it 
he  will  run  with  all  his  might  for  the  works,  fire  his 
gun  into  the  rebels  as  he  jumps  the  works,  and  then 
rely  on  his  bayonet.  No  man  must  fire  a  shot  until 
we  are  crossing  the  works,  and  then  I  want  every 
shot  to  fetch  a  rebel." 

He  waited  a  moment  before  giving  the  command 
to  advance,  for  Co.  Q,  which  had  snaked  the  battery 


96  SI   KLEGG. 

out  of  the  mudhole  in  a  hurry,  was  coming  on  a  dead 
run  in  order  to  be  on  time  for  the  charge.  It  snatched 
its  guns  from  the  stacks,  and  lined  up  like  a  long 
flash  of  blue  light. 

The  artillerymen  had  lashed  their  jaded  horses 
into  a  feverish  run,  swept  out  into  an  open  space, 
flung  their  guns  "into  battery,"  and  opened  with  a 
vicious  bang  on  the  rebel  works. 

So  far  not  a  head  appeared  above  the  breastworks ; 
not  a  shot  from  the  embrasures  in  the  forts. 

"They're  just  laying  low,"  whispered  Si  to  Shorty, 
as  they  instinctively  brought  their  shoulders  together 
and  summoned  their  energies  for  the  swift  advance. 
"They'll  blaze  out  like  the  fires  o'  hell  just  as  we 
git  tangled  up  in  that  infernal  timber-slashin'." 

"Well,"  muttered  Shorty,  "we'll  know  mighty  soon 
now.  In  five  minutes  we'll  either  be  in  Heaven  or 
bayoneting  the  rebels  in  that  fort." 

"Battalion,  forward — march!"  commanded  the 
Colonel. 

The  regiments  to  the  right  and  left  got  the  com 
mand  at  the  same  instant,  and  the  long  wave  of  blue 
rolled  forward  without  a  break  or  fault  in  its  per 
fect  alignment. 

A  hundred  yards  were  quickly  passed,  and  still  the 
rebel  works  were  as  silent  as  a  country  churchyard. 
The  suspense  was  fearful.  Men  bent  their  heads 
as  if  in  momentary  expectation  of  being  struck  by 
a  fearful  blast. 

Another  hundred  yards.  Still  no  bullet  from  the 
rifle-pits,  no  canister  from  the  forts. 

Another  hundred  yards,  and  they  had  struck  the 


,  THE   EXCITING   ADVANCE.  97 

entangling  abatis,  and  were  feverishly  working 
their  clothes  loose  from  the  sharp-pointed  limbs. 

Capt.  McGillicuddy,"  excitedly  shouted  Si, 
there's  no  men  in  them  works.  Didn't  you  see  that 
flock  o'  blackbirds  just  settle  down  on  that  fort?" 

"That's  true,"  said  the  Captain,  after  a  quick 
glance.  Colonel,  they've  evacuated." 

A  little  to  the  left  of  the  company  Si  saw  a  path 
through  the  abatis  made  by  the  rebels  taking  short 
cuts  in  and  out  of  the  camp.  He  and  shorty  quickly 
broke  their  way  to  it,  and  ran  in  feverish  haste  to 
the  works.  They  found  a  puncheon  laid  to  cross  the 
ditch,  ran  over  it,  and  mounted  the  rifle-pit.  There 
was  not  a  man  inside  of  the  works.  The  last  of  the 
garrison  could  be  seen  on  the  other  side  of  Elk 
River,  setting  fire  to  the  bridge  by  which  they  had 
just  crossed. 

Utterly  exhausted  by  fatigue  and  the  severe  men 
tal  strain,  Si  and  Shorty  could  do  nothing  more  than 
give  a  delighted  yell,  fire  their  guns  at  the  distant 
rebels,  when  they  sank  down  in  complete  collapse. 

Almost  at  the  same  time  the  same  discovery  had 
been  made  at  other  points  in  the  long  line  moving 
to  the  assault ;  the  inside  of  the  works  were  quickly 
filled  with  a  m8b  of  rushing  men,  who  seemed  to  lift 
the  clouds  with  their  triumphant  yells. 

The  campaign  for  Tullahoma  was  at  an  end. 
Bragg  had  declined  battle,  and  put  the  whole  of 
his  army  out  of  reach  of  pursuit  behind  the  swollen 
waters  of  Elk  River. 

That  night  by  its  cheerful  campfires  the  exultant 
Army  of  the  Cumberland  sang  from  one  end  of  its 
long  line  to  the  other,  with  thousands  of  voices  join- 


98  SI   KLEGG. 

ing  at  once  in  the  chorus,  its  song  of  praise  to  Gen. 
Rosecrans,  which  went  to  the  air  of  "A  Little  More 
Cider." 

Cheer  up,  cheer  up,  the  night  is  past, 
The  skies  with  light  are  glowing. 
Our  ships  move  proudly  on,  my  boys, 

And  favoring  gales  are  blowing. 
Her  flag  is  at  the  peak,  my  boys, 
To  meet  the  traitorous  faction. 
We'll  hasten  to  our  several  posts, 
And  immediately  prepare  for  action. 

Chorus. 

Old  Rosey  is  our  man. 
Old  Rosey  is  our  man. 
We'll  show  our  deeds  where'er  he  leads, 
Old  Rosey  is  our  man. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 


THE    GLORIOUS    FOURTH  —  INDEPENDENCE    DAY    FUN 
ON  THE  BANKS  OF  ELK  RIVER. 


{^rr^HIS  is  the  glorious  Fourth  of  July/'  re- 
*  marked  Si,  as  Co.  Q  broke  ranks  from 
reveille  roll-call  on  the  banks  of  Elk 
River,  and  he  and  Shorty  turned  anxious  attention 
to  the  problem  of  getting  a  satisfactory  breakfast 
out  of  the  scanty  materials  at  their  command.  "Up 
home  they're  gittin'  ready  for  a  great  time.  Yes 
terday  mother  and  the  girls  cooked  enough  goodies 
to  feed  the  whole  company.  Mother  had  Abe  Lin 
coln  split  up  a  lot  o'  fine,  dry  hickory.  Then  she  het 
up  the  big  brick  oven  out  by  the  Summer-kitchen, 
and  she  baked  there  a  lot  o'  loaves  o'  her  splendifer 
ous  salt-raisin'  bread,  the  best  in  the  whole  country, 
if  I  do  say  it  myself"  - 

"Resemble  this,  Si?"  asked  Shorty,  who  was  paw 
ing  around  in  his  shrunken  haversack,  as  he  pro 
duced  two  dingy  crackers  and  a  handful  of  pieces, 
discolored  by  contact  with  the  coffee  and  meat  dur 
ing  the  days  of  marching  in  the  rain. 

"And,  then,"  continued  Si,  unmindful  of  the  inter 
ruption,  "after  she  took  the  bread  out,  smelling  like 
a  bouquet,  she  put  in  some  biscuits,  and  then  some 
dressed  chicken,  a  young  pig"  - 

"Just  like  this,"  echoed  Shorty,  pulling  out  a 
rusty  remnant  of  very  fat  commissary  pork. 


100  SI   KLEGG. 

"Shet  up,  Shorty,"  said  Si,  angered  at  this  re 
minder  of  their  meager  store,  which  was  all  that 
was  left  them  for  the  day,  since  they  had  far  out 
marched  their  wagons.  "I  won't  have  you  makin' 
fun  o'  my  mother's  cookin'." 

"Well,  you  shut  up  torturing  me  about  home 
goodies,"  answered  Shorty,  "when  we  hain't  got 
enough  grub  here  to  fill  one  undivided  quarter-sec 
tion  o'  one  o'  our  gizzards,  and  there  hain't  no  more 
this  side  o'  the  wagons,  which  are  stalled  somewhere 
in  the  Duck  River  hills,  and  won't  be  up  till  the 
katydids  sing.  I  ain't  making  fun  o'  your  mother's 
cookin'.  But  I  won't  have  you  tormenting  me  with 
gas  about  the  goodies  back  home." 

"I  know  it  ain't  right,  Shorty,"  said  Si.  "It  only 
makes  us  feel  worse.  But  I  can't  help  thinkin'  " 

"Jest  go  on  thinkin',"  sneered  Shorty,  "if  you  kin 
fill  yourself  up  that  way.  I  can't.  You'd  better 
set  to  studyin'  how  to  make  less'n  quarter  rations 
for  one  fill  up  two  men  for  all  day.  There  ain't  no 
use  goin'  a-foragin'.  They  call  this  country  the  Cum 
berland  Barrens.  There  never  was  grub  enough  in 
it  to  half  support  the  clay-eaters  that  live  around 
here,  and  what  there  was  the  rettels  have  carried 
off.  The  only  ithing  I  kin  think  of. is  to  cut  up  some 
basswood  chips  .and  fry  with  this  pork.  Mebbe  we 
could  make  'em  soft  enough  to  fill  up  on."  And 
Shorty  gloomily  shook  out  the  last  crumb  from  the 
haversacks  into  a  tin  of  water  to  soak,  while  he 
fried  the  grease  out  of  the  fragment  of  pork  in  his 
half -canteen. 

"And  Pap,"  continued  Si,  as  if  determined  to  ban 
ish  famine  thoughts  by  more  agreeable  ones,  "has 


THE   GLORIOUS  FOURTH.  101 

had  the  trottin'  team  nicely  curried,  and  their 
manes  and  tails  brushed  out,  and  hitched  'em  to  that 
new  Studebaker  spring  wagon  he  wrote  about. 
They'll  put  all  the  good  things  in,  and  then  mother 
and  the  girls'll  climb  in.  They/11  go  down  the  road 
in  great  style,  and  pick  up  Annabel,  and  drive  over 
to  the  Grove,  where  they'll  meet  all  the  neighbors, 
and  talk  about  their  boys  in  the  army,  and  the  Posey 
Brass  Band'll  play  patriotic  tunes,  and  old  Beach 
Jamieson'll  fire  off  the  anvil,  and  then  Parson 
Ricketts'll  put  on  his  glasses  and  read  the  Declara 
tion  o'  Independence,  and  then  some  politician  young 
lawyer  from  Mt.  Vernon  or  Poseyville  '11  make  a 
sky-soaring,  spread-eagle  speech,  and" 

"0,  do  come  oif,  Si,"  said  Shorty  irritably.  "You're 
only  making  yourself  hungrier  exercising  your 
tongue  so.  Come  here  and  git  your  share  o'  the 
breakfast — and  mind  you  eat  fair." 

Shorty  had  fried  out  the  pork  in  the  dingy,  black 
half-canteen,  poured  the  soaked  crackers  into  the 
sputtering  hot  grease,  and  given  the  mess  a  little 
further  warming  and  stirring.  Then  he  pulled  the 
half-canteen  from  the  split  stick  which  served  for 
a  handle,  set  it  on  the  ground,  and  drew  a  line 
through  it  with  his  spoon  to  divide  the  food  fairly 
into  equal  portions.  . 

Meanwhile  Si  had  strolled  over  a  little  ways  to 
where  an  old  worm  fence  had  stood  when  the  regi 
ment  went  into  camp.  Now  only  the  chunks  at  the 
corners  remained.  He  looked  a  minute,  and  then 
gave  a  yell  of  delight. 

"Here,  Shorty,"  he  called  out;  "here's  something 
that  beats  your  fried  breakfasts  all  holler.  Here's 


102  SI   KLEGG. 

ripe  blackberries  till  you  can't  rest,  and  the  biggest, 
finest  ones  you  ever  saw.  Come  over  here,  and  you 
can  pick  all  you  can  eat  in  five  minutes." 

He  began  picking  and  eating  with  the  greatest 
industry.  Shorty  walked  over  and  followed  his 
example. 

"They  are  certainly  the  finest  blackberries  I  ever 
saw,"  he  agreed.  "Strange  that  we  didn't  notice 
them  before.  This  country  ain't  no  good  for  nothin' 
else,  but  it  surely  kin  beat  the  world  on  black 
berries.  Hi,  there!  Git  out,  you  infernal  brute!" 

This  latt'er  remark  was  addressed  to  a  long-legged, 
mangy  hound  that  had  suddenly  appeared  from  no 
where,  and  was  nosing  around  their  breakfast  with 
appreciative  sniffs.  Shorty  made  a  dive  for  him,  but 
he  cleaned  out  the  half -canteen  at  one  comprehen 
sive  gulp,  and  had  put  a  good-sized  farm  between 
him  and  the  fire  before  Shorty  reached  it.  That 
gentleman  fairly  danced  with  rage,  and  swore  worse 
than  a  teamster,  but  the  breakfast  was  gone  beyond 
recovery.  The  other  boys  yelled  at  and  gibed  him, 
but  they  were  careful  to  do  it  at  a  safe  distance. 

"  'Twasn't  much  of  a  breakfast,  after  all,  Shorty," 
said  Si,  consolingly.  "The  crackers  was  moldly  and 
the  pork  full  o'  maggots,  and  the  Surgeon  has  warned 
us  time  and  again  against  eatin'  them  greasy  fried 
messes.  All  the  doctore  say  that  blackberries  is  very 
healthy,  and  they  certainly  taste  nice." 

Shorty's  paroxysm  of  rage  expended  itself,  and 
he  decided  it  wisest  to  accept  Si's  advice. 

"The  berries  is  certainly  fine,  Si,"  he  said  with 
returning  good  humor.  "If  I  could've  only  laid  a 
foundation  of  crackers  and  meat  I  could've  built  a 


THE   GLORIOUS   FOURTH.  103 

very  good  breakfast  out  of  'em.  I  misdoubt,  though, 
whether  they've  got  enough  substance  and  stick-to- 
the-ribs  to  make  a  meal  out  of  all  by  themselves. 
However,  I'll  fill  up  on  'em,  and  hope  they'll  last 
till  a  grub-cart  gets  through.  There  ought  to  be  one 
here  before  noon." 

"One  consolation,"  said  Si ;  "we  won't  have  to 
march  on  this  peck.  The  Adjutant's  just  passed 
the  word  that  we're  to  rest  here  a  day  or  two." 

The  rest  of  the  regiment  were  similarly  engaged 
in  browsing  off  the  blackberries  that  grew  in  won 
derful  profusion  all  around,  and  were  really  of 
extraordinary  size.  After  filling  themselves  as  full 
as  possible  of  the  fruit,  Si  and  Shorty  secured  a 
couple  of  camp  kettles  and  gave  their  garments  a 
boiling  that  partially  revenged  themselves  upon  the 
insect  life  of  Tennessee  for  the  torments  they  en 
dured  in  the  Tullahoma  campaign. 

"The  better  the  day  the  better  the  deed,"  re 
marked  Shorty,  as  he  and  Si  stood  around  the  fire, 
clothed  in  nothing  but  their  soldierly  character,  and 
satisfiedly  poked  their  clothes  down  in  the  scalding 
water.  "Thousands  must  die  that  one  may  be  free — 
from  graybacks,  fleas,  and  ticks.  How  could  be 
better  celebrated  the  Fourth  of  July  than  by  the 
wholesale  slaughter  of  the  tyrants  who  drain  the 
life-blood  of  freemen  and  patriots?  Now,  that's  a 
sentiment  that  would  be  fine  for  your  orator  who  is 
making  a  speech  about  this  time  to  your  folks  in 
Injianny." 

By  this  time  they  were  hungry  again.  The  black 
berries  had  no  staying  power  in  proportion  to  their 
filling  qualities,  and  anxiously  as  they  watched  the 


104  SI    KLEGG. 

western  horizon,  no  feet  of  the  mules  bringing  ra 
tions  had  been  seen  beautiful  on  the  mountains. 

They  went  out  and  filled  up  again  on  blackberries, 
but  these  seemed  to  have  lost  something  of  their  de 
licious  taste  of  those  eaten  earlier  in  the  morning. 

They  went  back,  wrung  out  their  clothes,  and  put 
them  on  again. 

"They'll  fit  better  if  they  dry  on  us,"  remarked 
Shorty.  "And  I'm  afraid  we'll  warp,  splinter  and 
check  if  we  are  exposed  to  this  sun  any  longer  after 
all  the  soakin'  we've  bin  havin'  for  the  past  10 
days." 

Comfortably  full  abdominally,  with  a  delicious 
sense  of  relief  from  the  fiendish  insects,  the  sun 
shining  once  more  brightly  in  the  sky,  and  elated 
over  the  brilliant  success  of  the  campaign,  they  felt 
as  happy  as  it  often  comes  to  men. 

The  scenery  was  inspiring.  Beyond  Elk  River 
the  romantic  Cumberland  Mountains  raised  their 
picturesque  peaks  and  frowning  cliffs  into  a  wond 
rous  cloud-world,  where  the  radiant  sunshine  and 
the  pearly  showers  seemed  in  endless  struggle  for 
dominion,  with  the  bright  rainbows  for  war-banners. 
When  the  sunshine  prevailed,  filmy  white  clouds — 
flags  of  truce — floated  lazily  from  peak  to  peak,  and 
draped  themselves  about  the  rugged  rocks.  It  was 
an  ever-changing  panorama  of  beauty  and  mystery, 
gazing  on  which  the  eye  never  wearied. 

"Bragg's  somewhere  behind  them  mountains, 
Shorty,"  said  Si,  as  the  two  lay  on  the  ground, 
smoked,  and  looked  with  charmed  eyes  on  the  sky 
line.  "The  next  job's  to  go  in  there  and  find  him 
and  lick  him." 


THE  GLORIOUS  FOURTH.  105 

"I  don't  care  a  durn,  if  it's  only  dry  weather," 
answered  Shorty.  "I  kin  stand  anything  but  rain. 
I'd  like  to  soldier  awhile  in  the  Sahara  Desert  for 
a  change.  Hello,  what't  that?  A  fight?" 

A  gun  had  boomed  out  loudly.  The  boys  pricked 
up  their  ears,  took  their  pipes  from  their  mouths  and 
half  raised  in  anticipation  of  the  bugle-call.  An 
other  shot  followed  after  an  interval,  and  then  a 
third  and  fourth. 

"They're  firing  a  National  salute  at  Division 
Headquarters  in  honor  of  the  Fourth  of  July,"  ex 
plained  the  Orderly-Sergeant. 

Everybody  jumped  to  his  feet  and  cheered — 

Cheered  for  the  Fourth  of  July ; 

Cheered  for  the  United  States  of  America; 

Cheered  for  President  Abraham  Lincoln; 

Cheered  for  Maj.-Gen.  Wm.  S.  Rosecrans. 

Cheered  for  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland ; 

Cheered  for  the  Corps  Commander; 

Cheered  for  the  Division  Commander; 

Cheered  for  the  Brigadier-General; 

Cheered  for  the  Colonel  of  the  200th  Ind. ; 

Cheered  for  their  Royal  Selves. 

"Whew,  how  hungry  that  makes  me,"  said  Short- 
as  the  cheering  and  the  firing  ended,  and  he  studied 
the  western  horizon  anxiously.  "And  not  a  sign 
yit  of  any  mule-team  comin'  up  from  the  rear.  They 
must  have  religious  scruples  agin  travelin'  on  the 
Fourth  o'  July.  Well,  I  s'pose  there's  nothin*  to  do 
but  hunt  up  some  more  blackberries.  But  black 
berries  is  like  mush.  They  don't  seem  to  stay  with 
you  much  longer'n  you're  eatin'  'em." 

But  they  had  to  go  much  farther  now  to  find  black- 


106  SI    KLEGG. 

berries.  The  whole  hungry  regiment  had  been  hunt 
ing  blackberries  all  day,  and  for  more  than  a  mile 
around  camp  the  briers  were  bare.  Si  and  Shorty 
succeeded  at  last  in  finding  another  plentiful  patch, 
upon  which  they  filled  up,  and  returned  to  camp  for 
another  smoke  and  an  impatient  look  for  the  Com 
missary  teams. 

"I  like  blackberries  as  well  as  any  other  man," 
mused  Shorty,  "but  it  don't  seem  to  me  that  last 
lot  was  nearly  so  good  as  the  first  we  had  this 
morning.  Mebbe  the  birds  kin  eat  'em  four  times 
a  day  and  seven  days  in  the  week  without  gittin' 
tired,  but  I  ain't  much  of  a  bird,  myself.  I'd  like 
to  change  off  just  now  to  about  six  big  crackers, 
a  pound  o'  fat  pork  and  a  quart  o'  coffee.  Wonder 
if  the  rebel  cavalry  could've  got  around  in  our  rear 
and  jumped  our  trains?  No;  'Joe  Wheeler's  critter 
company,'  as  that  rebel  called  'em,  hain't  quit  runnin' 
yit  from  the  lickin'  Minty  give  'em  at  Shelbyville. 
Mebbe  the  mules  have  struck.  I'd  'a'  struck  years 
ago  if  I'd  bin  a  mule." 

The  sun  began  to  sink  toward  the  western  hills, 
and  still  no  welcome  sign  of  coming  wagons. 

Si  remarked  despairingly : 

"Well,  after  all  the  berry-eatin'  I've  done  to-day 
I  feel  as  holler  as  a  bee-gum.  I  don't  believe  any 
wagons'll  git  up  to-night,  and  if  we're  goin'  to  have 
any  supper  at  all  we'd  better  go  out  and  pick  it  be 
fore  it  gits  too  dark  to  see." 

They  had  to  go  a  long  distance  out  this  time  to 
find  a  good  berry  patch.  It  was  getting  dark  be 
fore  they  fairly  began  picking  their  supper.  Pres 
ently  they  heard  voices  approaching  from  the  other 


THE  GLORIOUS  FOURTH. 


107 


side.    They  crouched  down  a  little  behind  the  brier- 
clumps  and  listened. 

"Be  keerful.     The  Yankee  pickets  must  be  nigh. 
Thar's  their  campfires." 


THE   BLUFF   WORKED. 

"Pshaw.     Them  fires  is  two  miles  away.     Thar's 
no  pickets  fur  a  mile  yit.     Go  ahead." 

"No   sich  thing.     Them   fires   ain't   a   mile   off. 


108  SI    KLEGG. 

Their  pickets  are  likely  right  along  that  'ere  ridge 
thar." 

"Bushwhackers,"  whispered  Si,  rising  a  little  to 
reconnoiter.  "One,  two,  three,  four,  five,  six  on 
'em.  Sneakin'  up  to  pick  off  our  pickets.  What'd 
we  better  do?" 

"Only  thing  I  kin  think  of,"  whispered  Shorty 
back,  feeling  around  for  a  stick  that  would  repre 
sent  a  gun,  "is  the  old  trick  of  ordering  'em  to 
surrender.  It's  an  awful  bluff,  but  we  may  work  it 
this  time.  If  they've  got  any  grit  we  needn't  worry 
no  more  about  rations.  They'll  git  us." 

Si  snatched  up  a  piece  of  rail,  and  they  sprang  up 
together,  shouting: 

"Halt!  Surrender!  Don't  move  a  hand  or  we'll 
blow  your  heads  off." 

"All  right,  Yank.  We  surrender.  Don't  shoot. 
We'uns  've  bin  a-huntin'  yo'uns  to  gin  ourselves  up. 
We'uns  is  tired  o'  the  wah." 

"The  thunder  you  do,"  said  Si  in  amazement. 

"Yes,"  said  the  leader,  walking  forward;  "we'uns 
is  plumb  sick  o'  the  wah,  and  want  t'  take  the  oath 
and  go  home.  'Deed  we'uns  do." 

"Well,  you  liked  to  've  scared  two  fine  young  sol 
diers  to  death,"  murmured  Si  under  his  breath. 

"Halt,  there,"  called  out  the  suspicious  Shorty. 
"Don't  come  any  nearer,  or  I'll  fire.  Stand  still, 
and  hold  your  guns  over  your  heads,  till  I  send  a 
man  out  to  git  'em." 

The  rebels  obediently  held  their  guns  in  the  air. 

"Sergeant,"  commanded  Shorty,  "go  forward  and 
relieve  the  men  of  their  arms,  while  the  rest  of  us 


THE  GLORIOUS  FOURTH.  109 

keep  'em  kivvered  to  prevent  treachery  and  gittin' 
the  drop  on  us." 

Si  went  out  and  took  the  guns,  one  by  one,  from 
the  hands  of  the  men,  and  made  as  good  an  examina 
tion  as  he  could,  hastily,  to  see  that  they  carried 
nothing  else. 

"Lordy,  Yank,  if  you  only  knowed  how  powerful 
glad  we'uns  is  to  git  to  yo'uns,  you  wouldn't  'spicion 
us.  We'uns  's  nigh  on  to  starved  t'  death.  Hain't 
had  nothin'  to  eat  but  blackberries  for  days.  And 
hit's  bin  march,  march,  all  the  time,  right  away  from 
we'uns's  homes.  Goramighty  only  knows  whar  ole 
Bragg's  a-gwine  tuh.  Mebbe  t'  Cuby.  We'uns  wuz 
willin'  t'  fout  fur  ole  Tennessee,  but  for  nary  other 
State.  When  he  started  out  o'  Tennessee  we'uns  jest 
concluded  t'  strike  out  and  leave  him.  Lordy, 
Mister,  hain't  you  got  something  t'  eat?  We'uns 
is  jest  starvin'  t'  death.  'Deed  we'uns  is." 

"Awful  sorry,"  replied  Shorty,  as  he  and  Si  gath 
ered  up  the  guns  and  placed  themselves  behind  the 
group.  "But  we  hain't  nothin'  to  eat  ourselves  but 
blackberries,  and  won't  have  till  our  wagons  git  up, 
which  '11  be  the  Lord  and  Gen.  Rosecrans  only 
knows  when.  You  shall  have  it  when  we  kin  git 
it.  Hello,  the  boys  are  cheerin'.  That  means  a 
wagon's  got  in.  Skip  out,  now,  at  a  quarter-hoss 
gait.  They  may  gobble  it  all  up  before  we  git  there." 

Inspired  by  this,  they  all  started  for  camp  in 
quick-time.  Shorty  was  right  in  interpreting  the 
cheering  to  mean  the  arrival  of  a  ration-wagon. 

When  they  reached  Co.  Q  they  found  the  Orderly- 
Sergeant  standing  over  a  half-box  of  crackers. 


110  SI    KLEGG. 

Around  him  was  gathered  the  company  in  a  petulant 
state  of  mind. 

"Cuss  and  swear,  boys,  all  you've  a  mind  to,"  he 
was  saying,  "if  you  think  that'll  swell  your  grub. 
You  know  it  won't.  Only  one  wagon's  come  up,  and 
it  had  only  a  half-load.  Our  share  in  it  is  what 
you  see  here.  I  figure  that  there's  just  about  one 
cracker  apiece  for  you,  and  as  I  call  your  names 
you'll  step  up  and  get  it.  Don't  swear  at  me.  I've 
done  the  best  I  could.  Cuss  the  Tennessee  mud  and 
freshets  in  the  cricks  all  you  want  to,  if  you  think 
that'll  fill  your  crops,  but  let  me  alone,  or  I'll  bust 
somebody." 

"I've  my  opinion  o'  the  glorious  Fourth  o'  July," 
said  Shorty,  as  he  nibbled  moodily  at  his  solitary 
cracker.  "I'll  change  my  politics  and  vote  for 
Thanksgiving  Day  and  Christmas  after  this." 

"Well,  I  think  that  we've  had  a  pretty  fine 
Fourth,"  said  the  more  cheerful  Si.  "For  once  in 
my  life  I've  had  all  the  blackberries  I  could  eat,  and 
otherwise  it's  a  pleasant  day.  Them  deserters  gave 
me  a  cold  chill  at  first,  but  I'm  glad  we  got  'em. 
There'll  certainly  be  more  wagons  up  to-night,  and 
to-morrow  we'll  have  all  we  kin  eat." 

And  that  night,  for  the  first  in  10  days,  they  slept 
under  dry  blankets. 


CHAPTER    IX. 


A    LITTLE    EPISODE    OVER    LOVE    LETTERS. 

HOW   exuberantly   bright,   restful,   and   happy 
were  those  long  July  days  on  the  foothills  of 
the   Cumberland   Mountains,   after  the  fa 
tigues  and  hardships,  the  endless  rains,  the  fathom 
less  mud,  the  angry,  swollen  streams,  the  exhaust 
ing  marches,  and  the  feverish  anxieties  of  the  Tul- 
lahoma  campaign. 

The  insolent,  threatening  enemy  had  retreated  far 
across  the  mountain  barrier.  For  the  while  he  was 
out  of  reach  of  striking  or  being  struck.  The  long- 
delayed  commissary-wagons  had  come  up,  and  there 
was  an  abundance  to  eat.  The  weather  was  delight 
ful,  the  forests  green,  shady  and  inviting,  the  scen 
ery  picturesque  and  inspiring,  and  every  day  brought 
news  of  glorious  Union  victories,  over  which  the 
cannon  boomed  in  joyful  salutes  and  the  men  cheered 
themselves  hoarse.  Grant  had  taken  Vicksburg,  with 
25,000  prisoners,  and  chased  Joe  Johnston  out  of 
sight  and  knowledge.  Prentiss  had  bloodily  re 
pulsed  Sterling  Price  at  Helena.  Banks  had  cap 
tured  Port  Hudson,  with  6,000  prisoners.  The  Mis 
sissippi  River  at  last  "flowed  unvexed  to  the  sea." 
Meade  had  won  a  great  victory  at  Gettysburg,  and 
Lee's  beaten  army  was  in  rapid  retreat  to  Virginia. 
"The  blasted  old  Southern  Confederacy  is  cer 
tainly  havin'  its  underpinnin'  knocked  out,  its  j'ints 


112  SI   KLEGG. 

cracked,  and  its  roof  caved  in,"  remarked  Si,  as  the 
two  boys  lay  under  the  kindly  shade  of  a  low-grow 
ing  jackoak,  lazily  smoked  their  pipes,  and  gazed 
contentedly  out  over  the  far-spreading  camps,  in 
which  no  man  was  doing  anything  more  laborious 
than  gathering  a  little  wood  to  boil  his  evening  coffee 
with.  "  'Tain't  fit  to  store  brick-bats  in  now.  By- 
and-by  we'll  go  out  and  hunt  up  old  Bragg  and  give 
him  a  good  punch,  and  the  whole  crazy  shebang  '11 
come  down  with  a  crash." 

"I  only  wish  old  Bragg  wasn't  of  sich  a  retirin' 
nature,"  lazily  commented  Shorty.  "The  shade  o' 
this  tree  is  good  enough  for  me.  I  don't  want  to  ever 
leave  it.  Why  couldn't  he've  waited  for  me,  and  we 
could've  had  it  out  here,  coolly  and  pleasantly,  and 
settled  which  was  the  best  man!  The  thing' d  bin 
over,  and  each  feller  could've  gone  about  his  busi 
ness." 

Both  relapsed  into  silence  as  each  fell  into  day 
dreams — the  one  about  a  buxom,  rosy-cheeked  little 
maiden  in  the  Valley  of  the  Wabash ;  the  other  of  one 
in  far-off  Wisconsin,  whom  he  had  never  seen,  but 
whom  he  mentally  endowed  with  all  the  virtues  and 
charms  that  his  warmest  imagination  could  invest 
a  woman.  Neither  could  see  a  woman  without  think 
ing  how  inferior  she  was  in  looks,  words  or  acts  to 
those  whose  images  they  carried  in  their  hearts,  and 
she  was  sure  to  suffer  greatly  by  the  comparison. 

Such  is  the  divinely  transforming  quality  of  love. 

Each  of  the  boys  had  taken  the  first  opportunity, 
after  getting  enough  to  eat,  a  shelter  prepared,  and 
his  clothes  in  shape  and  a  tolerable  rest,  to  write  a 
long  letter  to  the  object  of  his  affections.  Shorty's 


A  LITTLE  EPISODE  OVER  LOVE  LETTERS.    113 

letter  was  not  long  on  paper,  but  in  the  time  it  took 
him  to  write  it.  He  felt  that  he  was  making  some 
progress  with  the  fair  maid  of  Bad  Ax,  and  this 
made  him  the  more  deeply  anxious  that  no  misstep 
should  thwart  the  progress  of  love's  young  dream. 

Letter-writing  presented  unusual  difficulties  to 
Shorty.  His  training  in  the  noble  art  of  penmanship 
had  stopped  short  long  before  his  sinewy  fingers  had 
acquired  much  knack  at  forming  the  letters.  Spell 
ing  and  he  had  a  permanent  disagreement  early  in 
life,  and  he  was  scarcely  on  speaking  terms  with 
grammar.  He  had  never  any  trouble  conveying  his 
thoughts  by  means  of  speech.  People  had  very  lit 
tle  difficulty  in  understanding  what  he  meant  when 
he  talked,  but  this  was  quite  different  from  getting 
his  thoughts  down  in  plain  black  and  white  for  the 
reading  of  a  strange  young  woman  whom  he  was 
desperately  anxious  to  please,  and  desperately  afraid 
of  offending.  He  labored  over  many  sheets  of  paper 
before  he  got  a  letter  that  seemed  only  fairly  satis 
factory.  One  he  had  rejected  because  of  a  big  blot 
on  it;  second,  because  he  thought  he  had  expressed 
himself  too  strongly;  a  third,  because  of  an  erasure 
and  unseemly  correction;  a  fourth,  because  of  some 
newborn  suspicions  about  the  grammar  and  spelling, 
and  so  on.  He  thought,  after  he  had  carefully  gath 
ered  up  all  his  failures  and  burned  them,  together 
with  a  number  of  envelopes  he  had  wrecked  in  his 
labor  to  direct  one  to  Miss  Lucinda  Briggs,  Bad 
Ax,  Wis.,  sufficiently  neatly  to  satisfy  his  fastidious 
taste. 

He  carefully  folded  his  letter,  creasing  it  with  a 
very  stalwart  thumb-nail,  sealed  it,  gave  it  a  long 


114  SI    KLEGG. 

inspection,  as  he  thought  how  much  it  was  carrying, 
and  how  far,  and  took  it  up  to  the  Chaplain's  tent 
to  be  mailed. 

Later  in  the  afternoon  a  hilarious  group  was  gath 
ered  under  a  large  cottonwood.  It  was  made  up  of 
teamsters,  Quartermaster's  men,  and  other  bobtail 
of  the  camp,  with  the  officers'  servants  forming  the 
dark  fringe  of  an  outer  circle.  Groundhog  was  the 
presiding  spirit.  By  means  best  known  to  himself 
he  had  become  possessed  of  a  jug  of  Commissary 
whisky,  and  was  dispensing  it  to  his  auditors  in 
guarded  drams  to  highten  their  appreciation  of  his 
wit  and  humor.  He  had  come  across  one  of  the 
nearly-completed  letters  which  Shorty  had  thrown 
aside  and  failed  to  find  when  he  burned  the  rest. 
Groundhog  was  now  reading  this  aloud,  accompanied 
by  running  comments,  to  the  great  amusement  of  his 
auditors,  who  felt  that,  drinking  his  whisky,  and 
expecting  more,  they  were  bound  to  laugh  uproari 
ously  at  anything  he  said  was  funny. 

"Shorty,  that  lanky,  two-fisted  chump  of  Co.  Q, 
who  thinks  hisself  a  bigger  man  than  Gineral  Rose- 
crans,"  Groundhog  explained,  "has  writ  a  letter  to  a 
gal  away  off  somewhere  up  North.  How  in  the  king 
dom  he  ever  come  to  git  acquainted  with  her  or  any 
respectable  woman  's  more'n  I  kin  tell.  But  he's  got 
cheek  enough  for  anything.  It's  sartin,  though,  that 
she's  never  saw  him,  and  don't  know  nothin'  about 
him,  or  she'd  never  let  him  write  to  her.  Of  course, 
he's  as  ignorant  as  a  mule.  He  skeercely  got  beyant 
pot-hooks  when  he  wuz  tryin'  to  larn  writin',  an'  he 
spells  like  a  man  with  a  wooden  leg.  Look  here: 


A  LITTLE  EPISODE  OVER  LOVE  LETTERS.    115 

'Mi  Dere  Frend.'  Now,  everybody  knows  that  the 
way  to  spell  dear  is  d-e-e-r.  Then  he  goes  on : 

"  'I  taik  mi  pen  in  hand  to  inform  u  that  Ime  well, 
tho  I've  lost  about  15  pounds,  and  hoap  that  u  air 
injoyin'  the  same  blessinY 

"Think  o'  the  vulgarity  o'  a  man  writin'  to  a  young 
lady  'bout  his  losin'  flesh.  If  a  man  should  write 
sich  a  thing  to  my  sister  I'd  hunt  him  up  and  wollop 
the  life  outen  him.  Then  he  goes  on : 

"  'I  aint  built  to  spare  much  meat,  and  the  loss  of 
15  pounds  leaves  fallow  lots  in  mi  cloze.  But  He 
grow  it  all  back  on  me  agin  mitey  quick,  as  soon  as 
we  kin  hav  another  protracted  meetin'  with  the  Com 
missary  Department.' 

"Did  you  ever  hear  sich  vulgarity?"  Groundhog 
groaned.  "Now  hear  him  brag  and  use  langwidge 
unfit  for  any  lady  to  see : 

"  'We've  jest  went  throo  the  gosh-almightiest  cam- 
pane  that  enny  army  ever  done.  It  wuz  rane  and 
mud  48  ours  outen  the  24,  with  thunder  and  litenin' 
on  the  side.  We  got  wettern  Faro's  hosts  done 
chasin'  the  Jews  throo  50  foot  of  Red  See.  But  we 
diddent  stop  for  that  till  we'd  hussled  old  Bragg 
outen  his  works,  and  started  him  on  the  keen  jump 
for  Chattynoogy,  to  put  the  Cumberland  Mountings 
betwixt  us  and  him.' 

"Think  o'  the  conceit  o'  the  feller.  Wants  to  make 
that  gal  believe  that  he  druv  off  Bragg  a'most  sin 
gle-handed,  and  intends  to  foller  him  up  and  kick 
him  some  more.  Sich  gall.  Sich  fellers  hurts  us  in 
the  opinion  o'  the  people  at  home.  They  make  'em 
think  we're  all  a  set  o'  blowhards.  But  this  aint 
nothin'  to  what  comes  next.  He  tries  to  honeyf ugle 


116  SI    KLEGG. 

the  gal,  and  he's  as  clumsy  'bout  it  as  a  brown  b'ar 
robbin'  a  bee-hive.  Listen : 

"  'mi  dere  frend,  I  can't  tell  you  how  happy  yore 
letters  maik  me.  I've  got  so  I  look  for  the  male  a 
good  dele  more  angshioussly  than  for  the  grub 
wagon.' 

"Think  o'  a  man  sayin'  grub  to  a  lady,"  said 
Groundhog,  in  a  tone  of  deep  disgust.  "Awful 
coarse.  A  gentleman  allers  says  'peck,'  or  'hash,'  or 
Vittels,'  when  he's  speakin'  to  a  lady,  or  before 
ladies.  I  licked  a  man  onct  for  sayin'  'gizzard-limn' 
before  my  mother,  and  gizzard-linin'  aint  half  as 
coarse  as  grub.  But  he  gits  softer'n  mush  as  he 
goes  on.  Listen : 

"  'I  rede  every  wun  of  'em  over  till  they're  cleane 
wore  out,  and  then  I  save  the  pieces,  bekaze  they 
cum  from  u.  I  rede  them  whenever  Ime  alone,  and  it 
seems  to  me  that  its  yeres  before  another  one  comes. 
If  I  cood  make  anybody  feel  as  good  by  ritin'  to  'em 
as  u  kin  me  Ide  rite  'em  every  day.' 

"Thar's  some  more  of  his  ignorant  spellin',"  said 
Groundhog.  "Everybody  but  a  blamed  fool  knows 
the  way  to  spell  write  is  w-r-i-g-h-t.  I  learnt  that 
much  before  I  wuz  knee-high  to  a  grasshopper.  But 
let  me  continner: 

"  'I  think  Bad  Ax,  Wisconsin,  must  be  the  nicest 
plais  in  the  world,  bekaze  u  live  there.  I  woodent 
want  to  live  anywhair  else,  and  Ime  cummin  up  thar 
just  as  soon  as  the  war  is  over  to  settle.  I  think  of 
u  every  our  in  the  day,  and' 

"He  thinks  of  her  every  hour.  The  idee,"  said 
Groundhog,  with  deep  scorn,  "that  sich  a  galoot  as 


A  LITTLE  EPISODE  OVER  LOVE  LETTERS.    117 

Shorty  thinks  of  anything  more'n  a  minute,  except 
triple-X,  all-wool,  indigo-dyed  cussedness  that  he 
kin  work  off  on  some  other  feller  and  hurt  him,  that 
he  don't  think's  as  smart  as  he  is.  Think  o'  him 
gushin'  out  all  this  soft-solder  to  fool  some  poor 
girl"— 

"You  infernal  liar,  you,  give  me  that  letter," 
shouted  Si,  bolting  into  the  circle  and  making  a 
clutch  at  the  sheet.  "I'll  pound  your  onery  head 
off  en  you." 

Si  had  come  up  unnoticed,  and  listened  for  a  few 
minutes  to  Groundhog's  tirade  before  he  discovered 
that  his  partner  was  its  object.  Then  he  sprang 
at  the  teamster,  struck  him  with  one  hand,  and 
snatched  at  the  letter  with  the  other.  The  bystand 
ers  instinctively  sided  with  the  teamster,  and  Si  be 
came  the  center  of  a  maelstrom  of  kicks  and  blows, 
when  Shorty,  seeing  his  partner's  predicament,  bolt 
ed  down  the  hill  and  began  knocking  down  every 
body  in  reach  until  he  cleared  a  way  to  Si's  side. 
By  this  time  the  attention  of  the  Sergeant  of  the 
Guard  was  attracted,  and  he  brought  an  energetic 
gun-barrel  to  the  task  of  restoring  the  reign  of  law 
and  order. 

"How  in  thunder'd  you  come  to  git  into  a  fracas 
with  that  herd  o'  mavericks,  Si?"  asked  Shorty,  in  a 
tone  of  rebuke,  as  the  Sergeant  was  rounding  up 
the  crowd  and  trying  to  get  at  who  was  to  blame. 
"Couldn't  you  find  somebody  on  your  own  level  to 
fight,  without  startin'  a  fuss  with  a  passel  o'  low- 
down,  rust-eaten  roustabouts  ?  What's  got  into  you  ? 
Bin  livin'  so  high  lately  that  you  had  to  have  a 


118  SI    KLEGG. 

fight  to  work  off  your  f ractiousness  ?    I'm  surprised 
at  you." 

"Groundhog' d  got  hold  of  a  letter  o'  your'n  to  your 
girl  up  in  Wisconsin,"  gasped  Si,  "and  was  readin' 
it  to  the  crowd.  Here's  a  piece  of  it." 

Shorty  glanced  at  the  fragment  of  torn  paper  in 
Si's  hand,  and  a  deep  blush  suffused  his  sun-browned 
cheek.  Then  he  gave  a  howl  and  made  a  rush  for 
Groundhog. 

"Here,  let  that  man  alone,  or  I'll  make  you,"  shout 
ed  the  Sergeant  of  the  Guard. 

"Sergeant,"  said  Si,  "that  rat-faced  teamster  had 
got  hold  of  a  letter  to  his  girl,  and  was  reading 
it  to  this  gang  o'  camp  offal." 

"0,"  said  the  Sergeant,  in  a  changed  tone;  "hope 
he'll  baste  the  life  out  of  him."  And  he  jumped  in 
before  a  crowd  that  was  showing  some  disposition 
to  go  to  Groundhog's  assistance,  sharply  ordered 
them  to  about-face,  and  drove  them  off  before  him. 

"Here,  Sergeant,"  shouted  the  Officer  of  the  Guard, 
who  came  running  up ;  "what  are  you  fooling  around 
with  these  fellows  for?  They're  not  doing  any 
thing.  Don't  you  see  that  man's  killing  that  team 
ster?" 

"Teamster  had  got  hold  of  a  letter  to  his  girl," 
explained  the  Sergeant,  "and  was  reading  it  to  these 
whelps." 

"0,"  said  the  Officer  of  the  Guard  in  a  different 
tone.  "Run  these  rascals  down  there  in  front  of 
the  Quartermaster's  and  set  them  to  work  digging 
those  stumps  out.  Keep  them  at  it  till  midnight, 
without  anything  to  eat.  I'll  teach  them  to  raise 
disturbances  in  camp." 


AFTER    BRAGG    AGAIN — RESTFUL    SUMMER    DAYS    END. 
THE  UNION   PEOPLE   OF  EAST  TENNESSEE. 

THOUGH  every  man  in  the  Army  of  the  Cum 
berland  felt  completely  worn  out  at  the  end 
of  the  Tullahoma  campaign,  it  needed  but 
a  few  days'  rest  in  pleasant  camps  on  the  foothills 
of  the  Cumberland  Mountains,  with  plenty  of  rations 
and  supplies  of  clothing,  to  beget  a  restlessness  for 
another  advance. 

They  felt  envious  of  their  comrades  of  the  Army 
of  the  Tennessee,  who  had  cornered  their  enemy  in 
Vicksburg  and  forced  him  to  complete  surrender. 

On  the  other  hand,  their  enemy  had  evaded  battle 
when  they  offered  it  to  him  on  the  place  he  had 
himself  chosen,  had  eluded  their  vigorous  pursuit, 
and  now  had  his  army  in  full  possession  of  the 
great  objective  upon  which  the  eyes  of  the  Army  of 
the  Cumberland  had  been  fixed  for  two  years — Chat 
tanooga. 

It  was  to  Chattanooga  that  Gen.  Scott  ultimately 
looked  when  he  began  the  organization  of  forces 
north  of  the  Ohio  River.  It  was  to  Chattanooga  that 
Gens.  Anderson,  Sherman  and  Buell  looked  when 
they  were  building  up  the  Army  of  the  Ohio.  It  was 
nearly  to  Chattanooga  that  Gen.  Mitchel  made  his 
memorable  dash  after  the  fall  of  Nashville,  when  he 
took  Huntsville,  Bridgeport,  Stevenson  and  other 


120  SI    KLEGG. 

V 

outlying  places.  It  was  for  Chattanooga  that  the 
"Engine  Thieves"  made  their  thrilling  venture,  that 
cost  eight  of  their  lives.  It  was  to  Chattanooga 
that  Buell  was  ordered  with  the  Army  of  the  Ohio, 
after  the  "siege  of  Corinth,"  and  from  which  he 
was  run  back  by  Bragg's  flank  movement  into  Ken 
tucky.  It  was  again  toward  Chattanooga  that  Rose- 
crans  had  started  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland  from 
Nashville,  in  December,  1862,  and  the  battle  of  Stone 
River  and  the  Tullahoma  campaign  were  but  stages 
in  the  journey. 

President  Lincoln  wanted  Chattanooga  to  relieve 
the  sorely  persecuted  Unionists  of  East  Tennessee. 
Military  men  wanted  Chattanooga  for  its  immense 
strategic  importance,  second  only  to  that  of  Vicks- 
burg. 

The  men  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland  wanted 
Chattanooga,  as  those  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
wanted  Richmond,  and  those  of  the  Army  of  the 
Tennessee  had  wanted  Vicksburg,  as  the  victor's 
guerdon  which  would  crown  all  their  marches,  skir 
mishes  and  battles. 

But  between  them  and  Chattanooga  still  lay  three 
great  ranges  of  mountains  and  a  broad,  navigable 
river.  Where  amid  all  these  fortifications  of  appal 
ling  strength  would  Bragg  offer  them  battle  for  the 
Confederacy's  vitals? 

"I  don't  care  what  Bragg's  got  over  there,"  said 
Si,  looking  up  at  the  lofty  mountain  peaks,  as  he 
and  Shorty  discussed  the  probabilities.  "He  can't 
git  nothing  worse  than  the  works  at  War  Trace  and 
Shelbyville,  that  he  took  six  months  to  build,  and 
was  just  goin'  to  slaughter  us  with.  And  if  we  go 


AFTER  BRAGG  AGAIN.  121 

ahead  now  he  won't  have  the  rain  on  his  side.  It 
looks  as  if  it  has  set  in  for  a  long  dry  spell;  the 
country  '11  be  so  we  kin  git  around  in  it  without 
trouble.  If  the  walkin'  only  stays  good  we'll  find 
a  way  to  make  Mr.  Bragg  hump  out  of  Chattanooga, 
or  stay  in  there  and  git  captured." 

"Yes,"  assented  Shorty,  knocking  the  ashes  out  of 
his  brierwood  pipe,  and  beginning  to  shave  down  a 
plug  of  bright  navy  to  refill  it,  "and  I'll  put  old 
Rosey's  brains  and  git-there  agin  all  the  mountains 
and  rivers  and  forts,  and  breastworks  and  thingama- 
jigs  that  Bragg  kin  git  up.  Old  Rosecrans  is  smarter 
any  day  in  the  week  than  Bragg  is  on  Sunday.  He 
kin  give  the  rebels  cards  and  spades  and  run  'em 
out  before  the  fourth  round  is  played.  Only  I  hope 
he  won't  study  about  it  as  long  as  he  did  after 
Stone  River.  I  want  to  finish  up  the  job  in  warm, 
dry  weather,  and  git  home." 

And  his  eyes  took  on  a  far-away  look,  which  Si 
had  no  difficulty  interpreting  that  "home"  meant  a 
place  with  a  queer  name  in  distant  Wisconsin. 

"Well,"  said  Si  reflectively,  "old  Rosecrans  didn't 
study  long  after  he  took  command  of  us  at  Nash 
ville,  before  plunking  us  squarely  at  the  Johnnies 
on  Stone  River.  I  think  he's  out  for  a  fight  now, 
and  bound  to  git  it  in  short  meter." 

But  the  impatient  boys  had  to  wait  a  long  Sum 
mer  month,  until  the  railroads  to  the  rear  could  be 
repaired  to  bring  up  supplies,  and  for  the  corn  to 
ripen  so  as  to  furnish  forage  for  the  cavalry. 

But  when,  on  the  16th  of  August,  1863,  Rosecrans 
began  his  campaign  of  magnificant  stragety  for  the 
possession  of  Chattanooga,  the  200th  Ind.  had  the 


122  SI    KLEGG. 

supreme  satisfaction  of  leading  the  advance  up  into 
the  mountains  of  living  green  to  find  the  enemy  and 
bring  him  to  bay. 

A  few  days'  march  brought  them  up  onto  the 
Cumberland  Plateau.  They  had  now  left  the  coun 
try  of  big  plantations  with  cottonfields,  and  come 
upon  one  of  small  farms  and  poor  people.  Si,  with 
a  squad,  had  been  marching  far  ahead  all  day  as  an 
advance-guard.  They  had  seen  no  rebels,  but  all  the 
same  kept  a  constant  and  vigilant  outlook  for  the 
enemy.  They  were  approaching  a  log  house  of 
rather  better  class  than  any  they  had  seen  since 
ascending  the-  mountain.  As  they  raised  the  crest 
of  a  hill  they  heard  a  horn  at  the  house  give  a 
signal,  which  set  them  keenly  alert,  and  they  pushed 
forward  rapidly,  with  their  guns  ready.  Then  they 
saw  a  tall,  slender  young  woman,  scarcely  more  than 
a  girl,  dart  out  of  the  house  and  attempt  to  cross 
the  road  and  open  ground  to  the  dense  woods.  Si 
sprang  forward  in  pursuit.  She  ran  like  a  young 
deer,  but  Si  was  swift  of  foot,  and  had  taken  the 
correct  angle  to  cut  her  off.  He  caught  her  flying 
skirts  and  then  grasped  her  wrist. 

"Where  are  you  goin',  and  what  for?"  he  asked 
sternly,  as  he  held  her  fast  and  looked  into  her 
frightened  eyes,  while  her  breast  heaved  with  exer 
tion  and  fear. 

"I  ain't  goin'  nowhar,  an'  for  nothin',"  she  an 
swered  sullenly. 

"Yes  you  was,  you  young  rebel,"  said  Si.  "You 
were  goin'  to  tell  some  sneakin'  rebels  about  us. 
Where  are  they?" 

"Wa'n't  gwine  to  do  nothin'  o'  the  kind,"  she  an- 


AFTER  BRAGG  AGAIN. 


123 


swered  between  gasps  for  breath.  "I  don't  know 
\vhar  thar's  no  rebels.  Thought  they'uns  had  all 
done  gone  away  down  the  mounting  till  I  seed 
yo'uns." 

"Come,  girl,  talk  sense,"  said  Si  roughly.     "Tell 


SHE  RAN  LIKE  A  DEER,  BUT  SI  CUT  HER  OFF. 


me  where  those  rebels  are  that  you  was  goin'  to, 
and  "do  it  quick.     Boys,  look  sharp." 

A  tall,  very   venerable  man,  with  long,   snowy- 
white  hair  and  whiskers  came  hobbling  up,  assist- 


124  SI    KLEGG. 

ing  his  steps  with  a  long  staff  with  a  handle  of  a 
curled  and  twisted  ram's  horn. 

"Gentlemen,"  he  said,  with  a  quavering  voice,  "I 
beg  yo'uns  won't  harm  my  granddaughter.  She 
hain't  done  nothin'  wrong,  I'll  sw'ar  it,  t'  yo'uns. 
We'uns  's  for  the  Union,  but  that  hain't  no  reason 
why  we'uns  shoull  be  molested.  We'uns  's  peaceable, 
law-abidin'  folks,  an'  ain't  never  done  nothin'  agin 
the  Southern  Confederacy.  All  our  neighbors  knows 
that.  Ax  any  o'  they'uns.  If  yo'uns  must  punish 
someone,  take  me.  I'm  the  one  that's  responsible 
for  their  Unionism.  I've  learned  'em  nothin'  else 
sense  they'uns  wuz  born.  I'm  a  very  old  man,  an' 
hain't  long  t'  live,  nohow.  Yo'uns  kin  do  with  me 
what  yo'uns  please,  but  for  my  sake  spare  my  inno 
cent  granddaughter,  who  hain't  done  nothin'." 

Si  looked  at  him  in  amazement.  It  was  no  uncom 
mon  thing  for  people  to  protest  Unionism,  but  sin 
cerity  was  written  in  every  line  of  the  old  man's 
face. 

"You  say  you're  Union,"  he  said.  "If  that's  so, 
you've  nothin'  to  fear  from  us.  We're  Union  sol 
diers.  But  what  was  that  signal  with  the  horn,  and 
where  was  this  girl  goin'?" 

"She  blowed  the  horn  at  my  orders,  to  inform  my 
neighbors,  and  she  wuz  gwine  on  an  arrant  for  me. 
Whatever  she  done  I  ordered  her  to  do.  Yo'uns  kin 
visit  hit  all  on  my  head.  But  hit  wa'n't  nothin' 
agin  yo'uns  or  the  Southern  Confederacy." 

"I  tell  you  we're  Union  soldiers,"  repeated  Si. 
"Can't  you  tell  that  by  our  clothes?" 

The  old  man's  face  brightened  a  little,  but  then 
a  reminder  of  sorrowful  experience  clouded  it  again. 


AFTER  BRAGG  AGAIN.  125 

"I've  never  seed  no  Union  soldiers,"  said  he.  "The 
rebels  come  around  here  dressed  all  sorts  o'  ways, 
and  sometimes  they  pretend  to  be  Union,  jest  to 
lay  a  snare  for  we'uns.  They'uns-  all  know  I'm 
Union,  but  I'm  too  old  t'  do  'em  harm.  Hit's  my 
neighbors  they'uns  is  arter.  But,  thank  God,  they- 
'uns  's  never  kotched  any  o'  them  through  me." 

"I  tell  you  we're  genuine,  true-blue  Union  soldiers 
from  Injianny,  belong  to  Rosecrans's  army,  and 
are  down  here  to  drive  the  rebels  out  o'  the  coun 
try.  There,  you  kin  see  our  flag  comin'  up  the 
mountain." 

The  old  man  shaded  his  eyes  with  his  hand,  and 
looked  earnestly  at  the  long  line  of  men  winding 
up  the  mountain-side. 

"I  kin  see  nothin'  but  a  blue  flag,"  said  he,  "much 
the  same  as  some  o'  Bragg's  rijimints  tote." 

Si  looked  again,  and  noticed  that  only  the  blue 
regimental  flag  was  displayed. 

"Wait  a  minnit,  I'll  convince  him,"  said  Shorty, 
and  running  down  the  mountain  he  took  the  marker 
from  the  right  guide  of  the  regiment,  and  presently 
came  back  waving  it  proudly  in  the  sunshine. 

The  old  man's  face  brightened  like  a  May  day,  and 
then  his  faded  eyes  filled  with  joyful  tears  as  he 
exclaimed : 

"Yes,  thank  Almighty  God,  that's  hit.  That's  the 
real  flag  o'  my  country.  That's  the  flag  I  fit  under 
with  ole  Jackson  at  New  Orleans.  I  bless  God  that 
I've  lived  to  see  the  day  that  hit's  come  back." 

He  took  the  flag  in  his  hands,  fondly  surveyed  its 
bright  folds,  and  then  fervently  kissed  it.  Then  he 
said  to  his  granddaughter: 


126  SI    KLEGG. 

"Nance,  call  the  boys  in,  that  they'uns's  may  see 
thar  friends  've  come  at  last." 

Nance  seemed  to  need  no  second  bidding.  She 
sped  back  to  the  porch,  seized  the  long  tin  horn 
and  sent  mellow,  joyful  notes  floating  far  over  the 
billowy  hills,  until  they  were  caught  up  by  the  cliffs 
and  echoed  back  in  subdued  melody. 

"Don't  be  surprised,  gentlemen,  at  what  yo'uns  '11 
see,"  said  the  old  man. 

Even  while  the  bugle-like  notes  were  still  ringing 
on  the  warm  air,  men  began  appearing  from  the 
most  unexpected  places.  They  were  all  of  the  same 
type,  differing  only  in  age  from  mere  boys  to  middle- 
aged  men.  They  were  tall,  raw-boned  and  stoop- 
shouldered,  with  long,  black  hair,  and  tired,  sad 
eyes,  which  lighted  up  as  they  saw  the  flag  and  the 
men  around  it.  They  were  attired  in  rude,  home 
spun  clothes,  mostly  ragged  and  soiled,  and  each 
man  carried  a  gun  of  some  description. 

They  came  in  such  numbers  that  Si  was  startled. 
He  drew  his  men  together,  and  looked  anxiously 
back  to  see  how  near  the  regiment  had  come. 

"I  done  tole  yo'uns  not  t'  be  surprised,"  said  the 
old  man  reassuringly;  "they'uns  's  all  right — every 
one  of  'em  a  true  Union  man,  ready  and  willin'  t' 
die  for  his  country.  The  half  o'  they'uns  hain't  got 
in  yit,  but  they'll  all  come  in." 

"Yes,  indeed,"  said  one  of  the  first  of  them  to 
come  in,  a  pleasant-faced,  shapely  youth,  with  the 
soft  down  of  his  first  beard  scantily  fringing  his 
face,  and  to  whom  Nancy  had  sidled  up  in  an  unmis 
takable  way.  "We'uns  've  bin  a-layin'  out  in  the 
woods  for  weeks,  dodgin'  ole  Bragg's  conscripters 


AFTER  BRAGG  AGAIN.  127 

and  a-waitin'  for  yo'uns.  We'uns  've  bin  watchin' 
yo'uns  all  day  yisterday,  an'  all  this  mornin',  tryin' 
t'  make  out  who  yo'uns  rayly  wuz.  Sometimes 
we'uns  thought  yo'uns  wuz  Yankees,  an'  then  agin 
that  yo'uns  wuz  the  tail-end  o'  Bragg's  army.  All 
we'uns  's  a-gwine  t'  jine  all  yo'uns,  an'  fout  for  the 
Union." 

"Bully  boys — right  sentiments,"  said  Shorty  en 
thusiastically.  "There's  room  for  a  lot  o'  you  in  this 
very  regiment,  and  it's  the  best  regiment  in  the 
army.  Co.  Q's  the  best  company  in  the  regiment, 
and  it  needs  15  or  20  fine  young  fellers  like  you  to 
fill  up  the  holes  made  by  Stone  River  and  Tennessee 
rain  and  mud." 

"I'll  go  'long  with  you,  Mister  Ossifer,  if  you'll 
take  me,"  said  the  youth,  very  shyly  and  softly  to 
Si,  whose  appearance  seemed  to  attract  him. 

"Certainly  we'll  take  you,"  said  Si,  "if  the  Sur 
geon  '11  accept  you,  and  I'll  see  that  you're  sworn 
in  on  the  spot." 

"Nancy,"  said  the  youth  diffidently  to  the  girl, 
who  had  stood  by  his  side  holding  his  hand 
during  the  whole  conversation,  "yo'  done  promised 
yo'd  marry  me  as  soon's  the  Yankee  soldiers  done 
come  for  sure,  and  they'uns  've  done  come,  millions 
of  'em.  Looky  thar — millions  of  'em." 

He  pointed  to  the  distant  hills,  every  road  over 
which  was  swarming  with  legions  of  blue. 

"Yes,  Nate,"  said  the  girl,  reddening,  chewing 
her  bonnet-strings  to  hide  her  confusion,  and  stir 
ring  up  the  ground  with  the  toe  of  her  shoe,  "I 
reckon  I  did  promise  yo'  I'd  marry  yo'  when  the 
Yankee  soldiers  done  come  for  sure,  and  thar  does 


128  SI    KLEGG. 

seem  t'  be  a  right  smart  passel  of  'em  done  come  al 
ready,  with  a  heapin'  more  on  the  way.  But  yo'  ain't 
gwine  t'  insist  on  me  keepin'  my  promise  right  off, 
air  yo'?" 

And  she  took  a  bigger  bite  at  her  bonnet-strings 
and  dug  a  deeper  hole  with  the  toe  of  her  shoe. 

"Yes,  indeedy — right  off — jest  the  minnit  I  kin 
find  a  preacher,"  replied  Nate,  growing  bolder  and 
more  insistent  as  he  felt  his  happiness  approaching. 
"I'm  a-gwine  off  t'  the  war  with  this  gentleman's 
company  (indicating  Si  with  a  wave  of  his  disen 
gaged  hand),  and  we  must  be  spliced  before  I 
start.  Say,  Mister  Ossifer  (to  Si),  kin  yo'  tell  me 
whar  I  kin  find  a  preacher?" 

Si  and  Shorty  and  the  rest  were  taking  a  deep  in 
terest  in  the  affair.  It  was  so  fresh,  so  genuine,  so 
unconventional  that  it  went  straight  to  all  their 
hearts,  and,  besides,  made  a  novel  incident  in  their 
campaign.  They  were  all  on  the  side  of  the  would- 
be  bridegroom  at  once,  and  anxious  for  his  success. 
The  Adjutant  had  come  up  with  the  order  that  they 
should  stop  where  they  were,  for  the  regiment  would 
go  into  camp  just  below  for  the  day.  So  they  had 
full  leisure  to  attend  to  the  matter.  The  Tennes- 
seeans  took  only  a  modified  interest,  for  the  presence 
of  the  Union  army  was  a  much  more  engrossing 
subject,  and  they  preferred  to  stand  and  gaze  open- 
eyed  and  open-mouthed  at  the  astonishing  swarms 
of  blue-clad  men  rather  than  to  pay  attention  to  a 
commonplace  mountain  wooing. 

"We  have  a  preacher — he's  the  Chaplain  of  the 
regiment,"  suggested  Si. 

"Any  sort  of  a  preacher'll  do  for  me,"  said  Nate 


AFTER  BRAGG  AGAIN.  129 

sanguinely,  "so  long  's  he's  a  preacher — Hard  Shell, 
Free  Will,  Campbellite,  Winebrennarian,  Methodist, 
Cumberland  Presbyterian — and  kind,  so  long  's  he's 
a  regularly-ordained  preacher,  '11  do  for  me.  Won't 
hit  for  you,  honey?" 

"Granddad's  a  Presbyterian,"  she  said,  blushing, 
"and  I'd  rather  he'd  be  a  Presbyterian.  Better  ax 
granddad." 

Nate  hurried  over  to  the  grandfather,  who  was  so 
deeply  engrossed  in  talking  politics,  the  war,  and  the 
persecutions  the  East  Tennesseeans  had  endured  at 
the  hands  of  the  rebels  with  the  officers  and  soldiers 
gathered  around  that  he  did  not  want  to  be  bothered 
with  such  a  comparatively  unimportant  matter  as 
the  marriage  of  a  granddaughter. 

"Yes,  marry  her  any  way  you  like,  so  long  as  you 
marry  her  honest  and  straight,"  said  he  impatiently 
to  Nate.  Then,  as  Nate  turned  away,  he  explained 
to  those  about  him:  "That's  the  45th  grandchild 
that  I've  had  married,  and  I'm  kind  o'  gittin  used 
t'  hit,  so  t'  speak.  Nate  and  her  've  bin  keepin'  com 
pany  and  courtin'  ever  sense  they  wuz  weaned,  an' 
bin  pesterin'  the  life  out  o'  me  for  years  t'  let  'em 
git  jiried.  Sooner  hit's  done  the  better.  As  I  wuz 
sayin',  we'uns  give  80,000  majority  in  Tennessee 
agin  Secession,  but  ole  Isham  Harris" — etc. 

"I'll  speak  to  the  Adjutant  about  it,"  said  Si,  when 
Nate  came  back  glowing  with  gladness. 

The  young  Adjutant  warmly  approved  the  en 
listment  proposition,  and  was  electrified  by  the  idea 
of  the  marriage. 

"I'll  go  and  talk  to  the  Colonel  and  the  Chaplain 
about  it.  Why,  it'll  be  no  end  of  fun.  We'll  fix  up 


130  SI    KLEGG. 

a  wedding-supper  for  them,  have  the  band  serenade 
them,  and  send  an  account  of  it  home  to  the  papers. 
You  go  and  get  them  ready,  and  I'll  attend  to  the 
rest.  Say,  I  think  we'd  better  have  him  enlisted,  and 
then  married  afterward.  That'll  make  it  a  regi 
mental  affair.  You  take  him  down  to  Capt.  Mc- 
Gillicuddy,  that  he  may  take  him  before  the  Surgeon 
and  have  him  examined.  Then  we'll  regularly  en 
list  him,  and  he'll  be  one  of  us,  and  in  the  bonds  of 
the  United  States  before  he  is  in  the  bonds  of  matri 
mony.  It'll  be  the  first  marriage  in  the  regiment,  but 
not  the  first  one  that  is  ardently  desired,  by  a  long 
shot." 

The  Adjutant  gave  a  little  sigh,  which  Si  could 
not  help  echoing,  and  Shorty  joined  in. 

"Well,  our  turns  will  come,  too,  boys,"  said  the 
Adjutant  with  a  laugh,  "when  this  cruel  war  is 
over."  And  he  whistled  "The  Girl  I  Left  Behind 
Me"  as  he  rode  back  to  camp. 

The  Surgeon  found  Nathan  Hartburn  physically 
sound,  the  oath  was  duly  administered  to  the  young 
recruit,  and  he  made  his  mark  on  the  enlistment 
papers,  and  was  pronounced  a  soldier  of  the  _United 
States,  belonging  to  Co.  Q,  200th  Ind.  He  had  been 
followed  through  all  these  steps  by  a  crowd  of  his 
friends,  curious  to  see  just  what  was  the  method 
of  "jinin'  the  Union  army,"  and  when  Co.  Q  received 
its  new  member  with  cheers  and  friendly  congratu 
lations  the  others  expressed  their  eagerness  to  fol 
low  his  example. 

Co.  Q  was  in  a  ferment  over  the  wedding,  with 
everybody  eager  to  do  something  to  help  make  it  a 
grand  success,  and  to  fill  the  hearts  of  the  other 


AFTER  BRAGG  AGAIN.  131 

companies  with  envy.  The  first  and  greatest  prob 
lem  was  to  provide  the  bridegroom  with  a  uniform 
in  which  to  be  married.  The  Quartermaster's 
wagons  were  no  one  knew  exactly  where,  but  cer 
tainly  a  day  or  more  back  on  the  road,  and  no  one 
had  started  out  on  the  campaign  with  any  extra 
clothing.  Shorty,  who  considered  himself  directly 
responsible  for  the  success  of  the  affair,  was  for 
awhile  in  despair.  He  was  only  deterred  from  steal 
ing  a  pair  of  the  Colonel's  trousers  by  the  timely 
thought  that  it  would,  after  all,  be  highly  improper 
for  a  private  to  be  wearing  a  pair  of  pantaloons  with 
a  gold  cord.  Then  he  resolved  to  make  a  sacrifice 
of  himself.  He  was  the  nearest  Nate's  proportions  of 
any  man  in  the  company,  and  he  had  drawn  a  new 
pair  of  trousers  just  before  starting  on  the  march. 
They  had  as  yet  gotten  very  slightly  soiled.  He  went 
to  the  spring  and  laboriously  washed  them  until 
they  were  as  bright  as  new,  and,  after  they  were 
dried,  insisted  on  Nate  trading  pantaloons  with  him. 
A  new  blouse  was  more  readily  found,  and  as  readily 
contributed  by  its  owner.  Si  freely  gave  up  his  sole 
extra  shirt,  and  another  donated  a  pair  of  reserve 
shoes.  The  Adjutant  came  in  with  a  McClellan  cap. 
When  the  company  barber  cut  Nate's  long  hair,  and 
shaved  him,  he  was  arrayed  in  his  wedding  uniform, 
and  as  Si  had  given  him  a  little  drill  in  holding  him 
self  erect,  he  was  as  presentable. a  soldier  as  could 
be  found  in  the  regiment,  and  quite  as  proud  of  him 
self  as  the  boys  of  Co.  Q  were  of  him.  Then  an 
other  despairing  thought  struck  Shorty: 

"  'Tain't  right,  he  communed  with  Si  and  the  rest, 
"that   the   bridegroom    should   have    all    the   good 


132  SI    KLEGG. 

clothes.  The  bride  should  have  the  boss  togs  o'  the 
two.  If  we  was  only  back  near  Nashville  she  should 
have  a  layout  that'd  out-rag  the  Queen  o'  Sheby,  if 
it  took  every  cent  there  was  in  the  company.  But 
I  don't  suppose  you  could  buy  a  yard  o'  kaliker  or 
a  stitch  o'  finery  within  50  miles  o'  this  clayknob." 

"What  we  might  do,"  said  Si  reflectively,  "would 
be  to  give  her  her  trowso  futuriously,  so  to  speak. 
We've  just  bin  paid  off,  and  hain't  had  no  chance  to 
spend  our  money,  so  that  all  the  boys  has  some. 
Every  one  o'  'em  '11  be  glad  to  give  a  dollar,  which 
you  kin  hand  her  in  a  little  speech,  tellin'  her  that 
we  intended  to  present  her  with  her  trowso,  but  cir 
cumstances  over  which  we  had  no  control,  mainly 
the  distance  to  a  milliner  shop,  prevented,  but  we 
would  hereby  present  her  with  the  means  to  git  it 
whenever  convenient,  and  she  could  satisfy  herself 
much  better  by  picking  it  out  her  ownself.  You 
want  to  recollect  that  word  trowso.  It's  the  ele 
gant  thing  for  a  woman's  wedding  finery,  and  if 
you  use  it  you'll  save  yourself  from  mentioning 
things  that  you  don't  know  nothin'  about,  and  prob 
ably  oughtn't  to  mention.  My  sisters  learned  it  to 
me.  A  girl  who'd  bin  at  boarding-school  learned 
them." 

"Good  idee,"  said  Shorty,  slapping  his  leg.  "I'll 
go  right  out  and  collect  a  dollar  from  each  of  the 
boys.  Say  that  word  over  agin,  till  I  git  it  sure." 

Shorty  came  back  in  a  little  while  with  his  hands 
full  of  greenbacks  "Every  boy  ponied  right  up  the 
moment  I  spoke  to  him,"  he  said.  "And  the  Captain 
and  Adjutant  each  gave  $5.  She's  got  money  enough 


AFTER  BRAGG  AGAIN.  133 

to  buy  out  the  best  milliner  shop  in  this  part  o' 
Tennessee." 

Next  came  thoughts  of  a  wedding-supper  for  the 
bride's  friends.  The  Colonel  took  the  view  that  the 
large  number  of  recruits  which  he  expected  to  gain 
justified  him  in  ordering  the  Commissary  to  issue  a 
liberal  quantity  of  rations.  Two  large  iron  wash- 
kettles  were  scoured  out — one  used  to  make  coffee  in 
and  the  other  to  boil  meat,  while  there  was  sugar 
and  hardtack  in  abundance.  The  mountains  were 
covered  with  royal  blooms  of  rhododendron,  and  at 
the  Adjutant's  suggestion  enough  of  these  were  cut 
to  fill  every  nook  and  corner  of  the  main  room  of 
the  house,  hiding  the  rough  logs  and  dark  corners 
with  masses  of  splendid  color,  much  to  the  astonish 
ment  of  the  bride,  who  had  never  before  thought 
of  rhododendrons  as  a  feature  of  house  adornment. 

Then,  just  before  6  o'clock  roll-call,  Co.  Q,  with 
every  man  in  it  cleaned  up  as  for  dress-parade,  with 
Nathan  Hartburn  at  the  head,  supported- on  either 
side  by  Si  and  Shorty,  and  flanked  by  the  Adjutant 
and  Chaplain,  marched  up  the  hill  to  the  house,  led 
by  the  fifers  and  drummers,  playing  the  reveille, 
"When  the  Cruel  War  is  Over,"  "Yankee  Doodle," 
and  everything  else  in  their  limited  repertory  which 
they  could  think  as  at  all  appropriate  to  the  occa 
sion.  The  rest  of  the  regiment,  with  most  of  the 
officers,  followed  after. 

The  Chaplain  took  his  place  in  front  of  the 
rhododendron-filled  fireplace.  The  bride  and  groom 
stood  before  him,  with  Si  and  Shorty  in  support. 
All  of  Co.  Q  crowded  into  the  room,  and  the  rest 
looked  through  the  windows  and  doors.  The  Chap- 


134  SI    KLEGG. 

lain  spoke  the  words  which  made  the  young  couple 
man  and  wife,  and  handed  them  a  certificate  to  that 
effect.  Shorty  then  advanced,  with  his  hand  full  of 
greenbacks,  and  said: 

"Missis  Hartburn:  Co.  Q  of  the  200th  Ind.,  of 
which  you  are  now  a  brevet  member,  has  appointed 
me  to  present  their  congratulations.  We  extend 
to  you  the  right  hand  of  fellership  of  as  fine  a 
crowd  o'  soldiers  as  ever  busted  caps  on  any  field 
of  battle.  We're  very  glad  to  have  your  young  hus 
band  with  us.  We'll  take  care  of  him,  treat  him 
right,  and  bring  him  back  to  you  crowned  with  the 
laurels  of  victory.  You  just  bet  your  life  we  will. 
That's  our  way  o'  doin'  things.  Madam,  Co.  Q  very 
much  wished  to  present  you  with  a  trou — trou — 
tro — what  is  that  blamed  word,  Si?" 

"Trowso,"  whispered  Si — - 

"with  a  trowso,"  continued  Shorty,  "but  circum 
stances  and  about  150  mile  o'  mud  road  over  which 
we  have  no  control  prevented.  To  show,  though, 
that  we  really  meant  business,  and  ain't  givin'  you 
no  wind,  we  have  collected  the  skads  for  a  regular 
24-carat  trow — trous — trows — trou — tro —  (blamed 
the  dinged  word,  what  is  it,  Si?)" 

"Trowso,"  prompted  Si — 

"for  a  regler  24-carat  trowso  which  I  have  the 
pleasure  o'  putting  in  your  lily-white  hands,  at  the 
same  time  wishin'  for  the  company,  for  you  and 
your  husband,  all  happiness  and  joy  in  your  married 
'life.  No  more,  from  yours  truly." 

Shorty's  brow  was  beaded  with  perspiration  as 
he  concluded  this  intellectual  effort  and  handed  the 
bride  the  money,  which  she  accepted,  as  she  had 


AFTER  BRAGG  AGAIN.  135 

done  everything  else  on  that  eventful  day,  as  some 
thing  that  she  was  expected  to  do.  The  company 
applauded  as  if  it  had  been  a  speech  by  Daniel  Web 
ster,  and  then  the  supper-table  was  attacked. 

Then  came  pipes,  and  presently  the  brigade  band 
came  over  and  serenaded.  A  fiddle  was  produced 
from  somewhere,  and  a  dance  started.  Suddenly 
came  the  notes  of  a  drum  in  camp. 

"Early  for  tattoo,  ain't  it?"  said  they,  looking  in 
quiringly  at  one  another. 

"That's  no 'tattoo,"  said  Shorty;  "that's  the  long 
roll.  Break  for  camp,  everybody." 


CHAPTER  XI. 


THE    MOUNTAIN    FOLK  —  THE    SHADOW    OF    AN    EAST 
TENNESSEE  VENDETTA. 

THE  long  roll  turned  out  to  be  occasioned  by 
the  burning  of  a  Union  Tennesseean's  house 
by  a  squad  of  revengeful  guerrillas,  but  the 
regiment  had  to  stay  under  arms  until  a  party  of 
cavalry  went  out  and  made  an  investigation.  The 
men  stacked  their  arms,  and  lay  around  on  the 
ground  to  get  what  sleep  was  possible,  and  which 
was  a  good  deal,  for  the  night  was  pleasant,  and 
there  are  worse  beds  than  the  mossy  hillside  on  a 
July  night. 

"Too  bad  that  your  weddin'  night  had  to  be 
broken  up  so,"  said  Si  sympathetically,  as  he  and 
-Shorty  and  the  bridegroom  sat  together  on  a  knoll 
and  watched  the  distant  flames.  "But  you  needn't 
've  come  with  us  this  time;  nobody  expected  you 
to." 

"Why,  I  s'posed  this  wuz  part  o'  the  regler  thing," 
answered  Nate  in  amazement.  "I  s'posed  that  wuz 
the  way  yo'uns  allers  married  folkses  in  the  army. 
Allers  something  happens  at  weddin's  down  hyah. 
Mos'  ginerully  hit's  a  free  fout  betwixt  the  young 
fellers  o'  the  bride's  an'  bridegroom's  famblies, 
from  'sputin'  which  fambly's  made  the  best  match. 
When  Brother  Wils  married  Becky  Barnstable  we 
Hartburn  boys  said  that  Wils  mout-ve  looked  higher. 
The  Barnstable  boys  done  tuk  hit  up,  an'  said  the 


THE   MOUNTAIN   FOLK.  137 

Barnstables  wuz  ez  good  ez  the  Hartburns  ary  day 
in  the  week,  an'  at  the  weddin'  Nels  Barnstable  had 
his  eye  gouged  out,  Ike  Barnstable  wuz  knocked 
down  with  a  flail,  an'  had  what  the  doctor  called 
discussion  o'  the  brain,  and  ole  Sandy  Barnstable 
cut  off  Pete  Hartburn's  ear  with  a  bowie.  They-uns 
reopened  the  argyment  at  the  in-fair,  an'  laid  out 
two  o'  the  Hartburns  with  ox-gads.  I  don't  think 
they  orter  used  ox-gads.  Tain't  gentlemanly.  D'ye 
think  so?  Knives,  an'  pistols,  an'  guns,  an'  even 
flails  an'  axes,  is  all  right,  when  you  can't  git  noth- 
in'  better,  but  I  think  ox-gads  is  low  an'  onery." 

Si  and  Shorty  looked  at  the  gentle,  drawling,  mild- 
eyed  young  Tennesseean  with  amazement.  A  young 
girl  could  not  have  seemed  softer  or  more  pliant, 
yet  he  quietly  talked  of  savage  fighting  as  one  of 
the  most  casual  things  in  life. 

"Well,"  said  Shorty,  "if  that's  the  way  you  cele- 
brat  weddin's  and  in-fairs  down  here  in  Tennessee, 
I  don't  wonder  that  you  welcome  a  battle  for  a 
change.  I  think  I'd  prefer  a  debate  with  guns  to 
one  with  axes  and  flails  and  anything  that'd  come 
handy.  It's  more  reg'ler  to  have  umpires  and  ref 
erees,  and  the  thing  conducted  accordin'  to  the 
rules  of  the  P.  R.  Then  when  you  git  through  you 
know  for  sure  who's  licked." 

"Jist  'cordin'  t'  how  one's  raised,"  remarked  Nate 
philosophically.  "I've  allers  done  seed  a  big  furse 
o'  some  kind  at  a  weddin'.  Don't  all  yo'uns  have 
none  at  yo'uns's  weddin's?" 

"Nothin'  worse'n  gittin'  the  girl's  dad  to  consent," 
answered  Shorty,  "and  scratchin'  'round  to  git  the 
money  to  git  married  on — to  buy  a  new  suit  o' 


138  SI   KLEGG. 

clothes,  fee  the  preacher,  pay  for  the  license,  and 
start  housekeepin'.  That's  enough  for  one  lifetime." 

"Well,  mam  an'  the  gals  made  Wils's  weddin' 
cloze,"  said  Nate  reflectively.  "He  had  his  own 
sheep,  which  he  sheared  in  the  Spring.  They'uns 
carded,  spun,  dyed,  an'  wove  the  wool  themselves, 
an'  made  him  the  purtiest  suit  o'  cloze  ever  seed  on 
the  mountings." 

"Your  mother  and  sisters  goin'  to  make  your 
weddin'  suit,  Si?"  asked  Shorty.  "What'd  he  have 
to  pay  for  the  license?" 

"License?     What's  that?"  asked  Nate. 

"License?  Why,  a  license,"  explained  Si,  "is 
something  you  git  from  the  County  Clerk.  It's  leave 
to  git  married,  and  published  in  the  County  paper." 

"Don't  have  t'  have  no  leave  from  nobody  down 
here  t'  git  married.  Hit's  nobody's  business  but  the 
man's  an'  the  gal's,  an'  they'uns's  famblies.  Some 
times  other  folkses  tries  t'  stick  their  noses  in,  but 
they'uns  git  sot  down  upon." 

"What'd  he  pay  the  preacher?"  asked  Shorty. 

"Why,  mam  gin  his  wife  a  hank  o'  fine  stockin' 
yarn,  an'  dad  gin  him  a  couple  sides  o'  bacon." 

"At  present  prices  o'  pork  in  Injianny,"  remarked 
Si,  after  a  little  mental  figuring,  "that  wasn't  such 
a  bad  fee." 

"If  you  speak  to  the  Captain,"  suggested  Si,  "he'll 
let  you  go  back  home  to  your  wife.  I  don't  believe 
there's  goin'  to  be  anything  special  to-night.  The 
cavalry  don't  seem  to  be  stirrin'  up  nothin  out 
there." 

"I  don't  keer  t',"  said  Nate,  in  his  sweet,  girlish 
drawl.  "Ruther  stay  with  yo'all.  Mout  somethin' 


THE    MOUNTAIN   FOLK.  139 

happen.  Biff  Perkins  an'  his  gang  o'  gorillers  is  out 
thar  somewhar,  not  fur  off,  huntin'  a  chance  fur 
deviltry.  I'd  like  mouty  t'  git  a  whack  at  they'uns. 
Nance'll  keep.  She's  mine  now,  fast  an'  good,  for 
ever,  an'll  wait  fur  me.  Afore  we  wuz  spliced  I 
wuz  afeered  Zach  Barnstable  mout  work  some  con 
trivance  t'  git  her,  but  now  she  belongs  t'  me." 

The  boys  took  him  to  their  hearts  more  than  ever. 

At  the  coming  of  the  early  dawn  the  regiment  was 
aroused  and  marched  back  to  camp,  there  to  meet 
orders  to  move  forward  at  once,  as  soon  as  breakfast 
was  prepared  and  eaten.  Away  it  marched  for  the 
Tennessee  River,  behind  which  Bragg  was  supposed 
to  be  gathering  his  forces  for  the  defense  of  Chat 
tanooga. 

As  Co.  Q  went  by  the  cabin,  Grandfather  Onslow 
was  seated  in  a  rocking-chair  on  the  porch,  smoking 
a  cob  pipe,  while  Mrs.  Nancy  Onslow  Hartburn,  with 
her  finger  bashfully  in  her  mouth,  peeped  around 
the  corner.  Co.  Q  gave  her  a  cheer,  at  which  she 
turned  and  fled  out  of  sight,  as  if  it  was  some  raillery 
on  her  newly-married  state,  and  Nate  hung  down 
his  head,  as  if  he,  too,  felt  the  boys  were  poking  fun 
at  him. 

"Good-by,  boys.  Lick  the  life  outen  Ole  Bragg," 
quavered  Grandfather  Onslow,  waving  his  hand  after 
them. 

"That's  what  we're  goin'  to  do,"  shouted  the  boys 
in  reply. 

"Well,"  said  Si,  "I  bet  if  ever  I'm  married  I'll 
kiss  my  wife  before  I  go  away." 

"Me,  too,"  echoed  Shorty,  very  soulfully. 

Shorty  and  Si  considered  Nate   Hartburn  their 


140  SI    KLEGG. 

special  protege,  and  were  deeply  anxious  to  trans 
form  him  into  a  complete  soldier  in  the  shortest  pos 
sible  time.  He  was  so  young,  alert,  and  seemingly 
pliable,  that  it  appeared  there  would  be  no  difficulty 
in  quickly  making  him  a  model  soldier.  But  they 
found  that  while  he  at  once  responded  to  any  sug 
gestion  of  a  raid  or  a  fight,  drill,  discipline  and 
camp  routine  were  bores  that  he  could  be  induced 
to  take  only  a  languid  interest  in.  Neither  Si  nor 
Shorty  were  any  too  punctilious  in  these  matters, 
but  they  were  careful  to  keep  all  the  time  within 
easy  conversational  distance  of  the  regulations  and 
tactics.  Naturally,  also,  they  wanted  their  pupil 
to  do  better  than  they  did.  But  no  lecturing  would 
prevent  young  Hartburn  from  slouching  around 
camp  with  his  hands  in  his  pockets  and  his  head 
bent.  He  would  not  or  could  not  keep  step  in  the 
ranks,  nor  mark  time.  While  Si  was  teaching  him 
he  would  make  a  listless  attempt  to  go  through  the 
manual  of  arms,  but  he  would  make  no  attempt  to 
handle  his  gun  the  prescribed  way  after  the  lesson 
was  ended.  Si  was  duly  mindful  of  the  sore  time 
he  himself  had  in  learning  the  drill,  and  tried  to 
be  very  considerate  with  him,  but  his  patience  was 
sorely  tried  at  times. 

"For  goodness'  sake,  Nate,"  Si  would  say  irritably, 
"try  to  keep  step.  You're  throwin'  everybody  out." 

"  'Tain't  my  fault,  Si,"  Nate  would  reply  with  a 
soft  drawl.  "Hit's  theirs.  I'm  walkin'  all  right,  but 
they'uns  hain't.  Jaw  them.  What's  the  sense  o' 
walkin'  so'  close  together,  anyway?  Yo'  don't  git 
thar  no  sooner." 

Then  again: 


THE    MOUNTAIN   FOLK.  141 

"Great  jumpin'  Jehosephat,  Nate,  will  you  never- 
learn  the  right  way  to  hold  your  gun  when  you 
present  arms?    You  must  turn  the  trigger  outside, 
not  the  hammer." 

"0,  Jeminy,  what  difference  does  hit  make?  I 
never  kin  recollect  hit,  an'  what's  the  use  o'  tryin'? 
Can't  see  no  sense  in  holdin'  a  gun  straight  up  an' 
down  that-a-way,  anyway,  an'  if  yo'  do,  hain't  one 
side  jest  as  good  as  t'other?" 

He  was  so  obdurate  that  the  boys  would  some 
times  be  provoked  to  sharp  words  to  him,  but  his 
gentle  speech  would  quickly  disarm  them  again, 
and  make  them  feel  penitent. 

At  last  the  200th  Ind.  came  out  upon  the  crest 
of  Waldron's  Ridge,  overlooking  the  Tennessee 
River,  which  wound  and  turned  amid  the  towering 
mountains  like  a  band  of  bright  silver  traversing 
the  giant  billows  of  green.  Everyone  caught  his 
breath  at  the  sight,  for  beyond  the  stream  were 
rebel  camps,  and  moving  trains  and  long,  lines  of 
marching  men.  Was  all  of  Bragg's  army  gathered 
over  there  to  dispute  the  passage  or  was  a  part 
still  this  side  of  the  river,  ready  to  pounce  on  our 
heads  of  columns  as  they  meandered  down  the  moun 
tain? 

The  brigade  was  closed  up,  information  sent  to 
the  Division  Commander,  and  the  200th  Ind.  pushed 
to  the  front  to  develop  whatever  might  be  there. 
Si  with  Shorty  and  some  others  were  sent  ahead 
to  feel  for  the  enemy. 

"Take  him  along?"  asked  Si  of  Shorty  in  a  low 
tone,  with  a  nod  toward  Nate,  as  they  were  mak 
ing  up  the  squad. 


142  SI    KLEGG. 

"Don't  know,"  answered  Shorty.  "If  ever  in  the 
world,  we  want  men  with  us  to-day  who  don't  git 
rattled,  and  make  a  holy  show  o'  theirselves  before 
the  regiment,  but'll  keep  cool,  watch  their  chances, 
and  obey  orders.  Guess  we'd  better  leave  him  be 
hind." 

"Seems  to  me,"  said  Si,  trying  vaguely  to  recall 
his  Scrip tual  readings,  "that  the  Bible  says  some 
thing  agin  takin'  a  newly-married  man  right  into 
battle  just  after  he's  married." 

He  looked  around  again,  saw  Nate  taking  his  place 
along  with  the  other  men  selected,  and  called  out: 

"Here,  Nate,  fall  back  to  the  company.  You  can't 
go  along." 

"Please,  Mister  Si,  le'  me  go  along,"  begged  Nate, 
in  the  soft  tones  of  a  girl  asking  for  a  flower.  "I'll 
be  good.  I'll  hold  my  gun  straight,  an'  try  t'  keep 
step." 

"No,  you  can't  go.,  This  's  partickler  business, 
and  we  want  only  experienced  men  with  us.  Bet 
ter  fall  back  to  the  company." 

"Go  ahead,  there,  Corporal,"  commanded  the  Ad 
jutant.  "Time's  passing.  We  must  move." 

Si  deployed  his  men  and  entered  the  dense  woods 
which  curtained  the  view  and  shrouded  the  enemy. 
It  was  one  of  those  deeply  anxious  moments  in  war, 
when  the  enemy  is  in  ambush,  and  the  next  instant, 
the  next  step  may  develop  him  in  deadly  activity. 

Si  was  on  the  right  of  his  line  and  Shorty  on  the 
left,  and  they  were  pushing  forward  slowly, 
cautiously,  and  with  every  sense  strained  to  the 
extremity  of  alertness. 

So  dense  was  the  foliage  overhead  that  it  was  al- 


THE   MOUNTAIN   POLK. 


143 


most  a  twilight  in  the  forest  depths  they  were  pene 
trating,  and  Si's  eyes  were  strained  to  keep  track 
of  the  men  moving  on  his  left,  and  at  the  same  time 


"YOU  MUST'NT  KILL  A  WOUNDED  MAN. 


watch  the  developments  in  front.  He  had  noticed 
that  he  was  approaching  a  little  opening  some  dis 
tance  ahead,  and  that  beyond  it  was  a  dense  thicket 
of  tall  laurels.  Then  he  thought  he  heard  a  low 


144  SI    KLEGG. 

whistle  from  Shorty,  and  looked  far  to  the  left, 
while  continuing  to  walk  forward. 

Suddenly  he  was  startled  by  a  shot  a  little  to  his 
rear  and  left.  Then  a  shot  answered  from  the 
laurel  thicket,  he  saw  the  bushes  over  there  stir 
violently,  and  he  heard  Nate's  voice  say: 

"He  wuz  layin'  for  yo',  Si,  an'  come  nigh  a-gittin' 
yo',  but  I  think  I  must've  at  least  creased  him,  from 
the  wild  way  he  shot  back.  Le's  go  forrard  an' 
see." 

"I  thought  I  told  you  to  stay  back,"  said  Si,  more 
intent  on  military  discipline  than  his  escape. 

"I  know  yo'  did  done  hit,  but  I  couldn't  mind,  an' 
tagged  'long  arter  yo'." 

"How'd  you  know  he  wuz  there?" 

"I  done  seed  the  bushes  move  over  his  head.  I 
knowed  jest  how  he  wuz  a-layin'  for  yo'.  Le's  go 
forrard  an'  git  him." 

Si  and  Nate  ran  across  the  open  space  to  the 
laurels,  and  found  a  little  ways  in  a  bushwhacker 
staggering  from  pain  and  loss  of  blood  from  a 
wound  in  his  hip,  and  making  labored  efforts  to 
escape. 

"I  done  hit  him;  I  done  fetched  him;  I  done 
knowed  jist  whar  he  wuz,"  exclaimed  Nate  with  boy 
ish  exultation. 

•  At  -the  sound  of  his  voice  the  bushwhacker  turned 
around  upon  him  an  ugly,  brutal  face,  full  of  savage 
hatred. 

''Why,  hit's  bad  ole  Wash  Barnstable,  what  burnt 
daddy's  stable  with  two  horses,  an'  shot  brother  Wils 
through  the  arm.  I'll  jist  job  him  in  the  heart 
with  my  bayonet,"  screamed  the  boy  as  he  recog- 


THE   MOUNTAIN   FOLK.  145 

nized  the  face.  His  own  features  became  trans-  _s 
figured  with  rage,  and  he  began  fixing  his  bayonejt. 
Si  pushed  forward  and  caught  the  bushwhacker  Iby 
the  shoulder  and  tore  the  gun  from  his  hand.  Naite 
came  springing  up,  with  his  bayonet  pointed  directl  y 
at  the  man's  heart.  Si  saw  it  in  time  to  thrust  .it 
aside,  saying  in  wrathful  astonishment: 

"Nate,  you  little  scoundrel,  what  do  you  me&,n? 
Would  you  kill  a  wounded  man  ?"  \ 

"Suttenly  I'll  done  kill  him,"  screamed  the  boy  \t\ 
a  frenzy  of  rage.    "Why  not?    He  desarves  hit,  the^ 
hell-hound.    All  of  us  Hartburns  've  said  we'd  done\ 
kill  him  the  minnit  we  laid  eyes  on  him.    Now  that  \ 
I've  got  him  I'm  gwine  t'  finish  him." 

He  made  another  vicious  lunge  at  the  man  with 
his  bayonet. 

"Indeed  you're  not,"  said  Si,  releasing  his  hold 
on  the  prisoner  and  catching  Nate's  gun.  "You 
mustn't  kill  a  wounded  man,  you  young  wildcat." 

"Why  not?"  shouted  the  boy,  beside  himself  with 
rage.  "He's  done  killed  lots  o'  men.  He'll  kill 
more  if  yo'  let  him  go.  He  wuz  layin'  t'  kill  yo'. 
Air  yo'  gwine  t'  gin  him  another  chance  to  down 
yo'?" 

Si  wrested  the  gun  from  him.  Two  or  three  other 
boys  who  had  been  attracted  by  the  shot  came  up 
at  this  moment.  Si  gave  the  prisoner  into  the 
charge  of  one  of  them,  with  instructions  to  take  him 
to  the  rear.  Nate  released  his  hold  on  his  gun  and 
made  a  jump  for  the  one  which  the  other  boy  had 
stood  against  a  tree  when  he  started  to  take  hold 
of  the  prisoner.  Again  Si  was  too  quick  for  him. 
He  was  by  this  time  so  angry  that  he  was  in  the 

6 


146  SI    KLEGG. 

mood  to  give  Nate  a  severe  lesson,  but  the  Adjutant, 
j)  had  ridden  forward,  called  out : 
"Go  srhead,  there,  Corporal.     We're  just  behind 

y<4u." 

r"I*ijiK  up  your  gun,  there,  Nate,  and  come  along 
w'-th>ne,  if  you  kin  behave  yourself.  There's  work 
p.lWfi  more  important  than  killin'  wounded  bush- 
whjlckers.  Come  along,  this  minute." 

Nate  hesitated  a  moment,  then  picked  up  his  gun 
vith  a  vengeful  look  at  the  prisoner. 

"I'll  kill  him  yit.  Mebbe  I'll  git  a  chance  this 
evenin'  yit,"  said  he,  and  followed  Si. 


CHAPTER  XII. 


SI  AND  SHORTY  IN  LUCK  —  THEY  MAKE  A  BRIEF 
VISIT  TO  "GOD'S  COUNTRY." 

THE  shot  fired  by  Nate  Hartburn  was  the 
only  one  that  interrupted  the  progress  of 
the  200th  Ind.  to  the  banks  of  the  Tennessee 
River.  Its  cautious  advance  at  last  brought  it  out 
on  the  crest  of  a  hill,  at  the  foot  of  which,  200*  feet 
below,  flowed  the  clear  current  of  the  mountain-fed 
stream.  The  rebels  were  all  on  the  other  side. 
Their  pickets  could  be  plainly  seen,  and  they  held 
the  further  pier  of  the  burned  railroad  bridge.  To 
our  right  rose  three  strong  forts,  built  the  year 
previous. 

As  soon  as  it  was  determined  that  all  the  enemy 
were  beyond  the  river,  the  200th  Ind.  went  into 
camp  for  the  afternoon  and  night  upon  a  cleared 
spot  which  had  been  used  for  that  purpose  before 
our  troops  had  been  flanked  out  of  that  country 
by  Bragg's  raid  into  Kentucky  just  a  year  before. 

A  dress  parade  was  ordered  at  6  o'clock,  and  when 
the  Adjutant  came  to  "publish  the  orders,"  the  regi 
ment  was  astonished  and  Si  electrified  to  hear: 

"In  pursuance  of  orders  from  Division  Headquar 
ters  to  detail  squads  from  each  of  the  different  regi 
ments  to  proceed  to  their  respective  States  to  bring 
back  recruits  and  drafted  men  for  the  regiments, 
First  Lieut.  Bowersox,  of  Co.  A,  and  Corp'l  Josiah 


148  SI    KLEGG. 

/ 

Klegg,  of/  Co.  Q,  with  six  enlisted  men  of  that  com 
pany,  to  be  selected  by  Capt.  McGillicuddy,  are  here 
by  deta/led  for  that  duty,  and  will  prepare  to  leave 
to-morrow  morning." 

Si  clutched   his  partner   in  his   excitement   and 


"Shorty,  did  you  hear  that?  I'm  to  be  sent  back 
to  Snjianny.  Ain't  that  what  he  said?" 

/'If  my  ears  didn't  mistake  their  eyesight,  them 
was  about  his  words,"  returned  Shorty.  "You're  in 
luck." 

"And  you're  goin'  with  me,  Shorty." 

"The  Adjutant  didn't  include  that  in  his  observa 
tions.  I  ain't  so  crazy,  anyway,  to  git  back  to  In- 
jianny.  Now,  if  it  wuz  Wisconsin  it'd  be  different. 
If  you've  got  any  recruits  to  bring  on  from  Wis 
consin,  I'm  your  man.  I'd  go  up  there  at  my  own 
expense,  though  I  don't  s'pose  that  Rosecrans  could 
spare  me  just  now.  What'd  become  o'  the  army  if 
he'd  git  sick,  and  me  away?" 

"But,  Shorty,  you  are  goin'.  You  must  go.  I 
won't  go  if  you  don't." 

"Don't  say  won't  too  loud.  You're  detailed,  and 
men  that's  detailed  don't  have  much  choice  in  the 
matter. 

"You'll  probably  act  sensibly  and  do  whatever 
you're  ordered  to  do.  Of  course,  I'd  like  to  go,  if 
we  kin  git  back  in  time  for  this  sociable  with  Mister 
•Bragg.  Don't  want  to  miss  that.  That'll  be  the 
he-fight  o'  the  war,  and  probably  the  last  battle." 

"Nor  do  I,"  answered  Si;  "but  the  thing  won't 
come  off  till  we  git  back.  They  wouldn't  be  sending 


SI    AND    SHORTY    IN    LUCK.  149 

back  for  the  drafted  men  and  recruits  except  that 
they  want  'em  to  help  out." 

"They'll  be  a  durned  sight  more  in  the  way  than 
help,"  answered  Shorty.  "We  don't  need  'em.  We've 
handled  Bragg  so  far  very  neatly,  all  by  ourselves, 
and  we  don't  need  anybody  to  mix  into  our  little 
job.  The  fewer  we  have  the  more  credit  there'll 
be  in  lickin'  old  Bragg  and  capturin'  Chattanoogy." 

The  Orderly-Sergeant  interrupted  the  discussion 
by  announcing: 

"Here,  Shorty,  you're  one  to  go  with  Si.  The  de 
tail  is  made  by  the  Colonel's  orders  as  a  compliment 
to  the  good  work  you  boys  have  been  doing,  and 
which  the  Colonel  knows  about." 

"I  always  said  that  the  Colonel  had  the  finest 
judgment  as  to  soldiers  of  any  man  in  the  army," 
said  Shorty,  after  taking  a  minute's  pause  to  re 
cover  from  the  compliment. 

The  boys  were  immediately  surrounded  by  their 
comrades,  congratulating  them,  and  requesting  that 
they  would  take  back  letters  and  money  for  them. 
The  Paymaster  had  recently  visited  the  regiment, 
and  everybody  had  money  which  he  wished  to  send 
home.  There  were  also  commissions  to  purchase  in 
numerable  things,  ranging  from  meerschaum  pipes 
to  fine  flannel  shirts. 

"Look  here,  boys,"  said  Shorty,  good-humoredly, 
"we  want  to  be  obligin',  but  we're  neither  a  Adams 
Express  Company  nor  in  the  gent's  furnishin'  line. 
We've  neither  an  iron  safe  to  carry  money  nor  a 
pedler's  wagon  to  deliver  goods.  John  Morgan's 
guerrillas  may  jump  us  on  the  way  home,  and  comin' 
back  we'll  have  to  have  packs  to  carry  the  truck  in, 


150  SI    KLEGG. 

and  half  of  it  '11  be  stole  before  we  git  to  the  regi 
ment." 

But  the  comrades  would  not  be  dissuaded,  and  be 
fore  Si  and  Shorty  went  to  sleep  they  had  between 
$5,000  and  $6,000  of  their  comrades'  money  stowed 
in  various  safe  places  about  their  personages. 

"Great  Jehosephat,  Si,"  murmured  Shorty,  when 
they  sat  together  in  their  tent,  after  the  last  com 
rade  had  departed,  leaving  his  "wad  of  greenbacks," 
with  directions  as  to  its  disposition,  "I  never  felt 
so  queer  and  skeery  in  all  my  life.  I  wouldn't  for 
the  world  lose  a  dollar  of  the  money  these  boys  have 
been  earnin'  as  they  have  this.  But  how  under 
heaven  are  we  goin'  to  make  sure  of  it?" 

"I've  thought  of  a  way  o'  makin'  sure  of  to-night," 
said  Si.  "I  spoke  to  the  Officer  of  the  Guard,  and 
he'll  put  a  sentinel  over  us  to-night,  so's  we  kin  git 
a  little  sleep.  I  wouldn't  shet  my  eyes,  if  it  wasn't 
for  that.  We'll  have  to  let  to-morrow  take  care  of 
itself." 

Shorty  lay  down  and  tried  to  go  to  sleep,  but  the 
responsibility  weighed  too  heavily  on  his  mind. 
Presently,  Si,  who,  for  the  same  reason,  only  slept 
lightly,  was  awakened  by  his  partner  getting  up. 

"What  are  you  up  to?"  Si  asked. 

"I've  bin  thinkin  about  pickpockets,"  answered 
Shorty.  "They're  an  awful  slick  lot,  and  I've 
thought  of  a  hiding  place  that'll  fool  'em." 

He  picked  up  his  faithful  Springfield,  and  draw 
ing  an  envelope  with  money  out  of  his  shirt-pocket, 
rolled  it  up  to  fit  the  muzzle  of  his  gun,  and  then 
rammed  it  down. 

"That's  Jim  Meddler's  $10,"  he  said.     "I'll  know 


SI   AND    SHORTY   IN    LUCK.  151 

it,  because  his  mother's  name's  on  the  envelope. 
Here  goes  Pete  Irvin's  $20.  I  know  it  because  it 
has  his  wife's  name  on  it." 

He  continued  until  he  had  the  barrel  of  the  gun 
filled,  and  then  stopped  to  admire  his  cunning. 

"Now,  nobody  but  me'd  ever  thought  o'  hidin' 
money  in  a  gun.  That's  safe,  as  least.  All  I've  got 
to  do  is  to  stick  to  my  gun  until  we  git  acrost  the 
Ohio  River.  But  I  hain't  got  the  tenth  part  in; 
where  kin  I  put  the  rest?  0,  there's  my  cartridge- 
box  and  cap-box.  Nobody'll  think  o'  lookin'  there 
for  money." 

He  filled  both  those  receptacles,  but  still  had  fully 
half  his  money  left  on  his  person. 

"That'll  just  have  to  take  its  chances  with  the 
pickpockets,"  said  he,  and  returned  to  his  bed,  with 
his  gun  by  his  side,  and  his  cap-  and  cartridge- 
boxes  under  his  head. 

The  morning  came,  with  their  money  all  right,  as 
they  assured  themselves  by  careful  examination  im 
mediately  after  reveille. 

As  they  fell  in  under  Lieut.  Bowersox  to  start, 
their  comrades  crowded  around  to  say  good-by,  give 
additional  messages  for  the  home-folks,  and  direc 
tions  as  to  their  money,  and  what  they  wanted 
bought. 

But  Shorty  showed  that  he  was  overpowered  with 
a  nervous  dread  of  pickpockets.  He  saw  a  possible 
light-fingered  thief  in  everyone  that  approached. 
He  would  let  nobody  touch  him,  stood  off  a  little 
distance  from  the  rest  of  the  squad,  and  when  any 
body  wanted  to  shake  hands  would  hold  him  stiffly 
at  arm's  length. 


152  SI   KLEGG. 

"Gittin'  mighty  stuck-up  just  because  the  Colonel 
patted  you  on  the  back  a  little,  and  give  you  a  soft 
detail,"  sneered  one  of  Co.  Q. 

"Well,  you'd  be  stuck-up,  too,"  answered  Shorty, 
"if  your  clothes  was  padded  and  stuffed  with  other 
folks'  greenbacks,  and  you  was  in  the  midst  o' 
sich  a  talented  lot  o'  snatchers  as  the  200th  Injianny. 
Mind,  I  ain't  makin'  no  allusions  nor  references,  and 
I  think  the  200th  Injianny  is  the  honestest  lot  o' 
boys  in  the  Army  o'  the  Cumberland ;  but  if  I  wanted 
to  steal  the  devil's  pitchfork  right  out  o'  his  hand, 
I'd  make  a  detail  from  the  200th  Injianny  to  do  the 
job,  and  I'd  be  sure  o'  gittin'  the  pitchfork.  I'll 
trust  you  all — when  you're  10  feet  away  from  me." 

The  others  grinned  and  gave  him  a  cheer. 

When  they  went  to  get  on  board  the  train  Shorty 
had  to  change  his  tactics.  He  got  Si  on  his  right, 
the  Lieutenant  immediately  in  front  of  them,  and 
two  trusted  boys  of  the  squad  directly  behind,  with 
strict  injunctions  to  press  up  close,  allow  nobody  be 
tween,  and  keep  a  hawk's  eye  on  everybody.  But 
both  Si  and  Shorty  were  breathless  with  apprehen 
sion  till  they  got  through  the  crowd  and  were  seat 
ed  in  the  car,  and  a  hasty  feeling  of  various  lumps 
about  their  persons  assured  them  that  their  charges 
were  safe.  They  were  in  a  passenger  car,  for  luck. 
The  Lieutenant  sat  in  front,  Si  and  Shorty  next, 
and  the  two  trusty  boys  immediately  behind.  They 
breathed  a  sigh  of  relief.  As  they  stood  their  guns 
over  against  the  side  of  the  car,  Si  suddenly  asked : 

"Shorty,  did  you  draw  your  charge  before  you 
rammed  that  money  in?" 


SI    AND    SHORTY    IN    LUCK.  153 

Shorty  jumped  to  his  feet  in  a  shudder  of  alarm, 
and  exclaimed: 

"Great  Jehosephat,  no.    I  forgot  all  about  it." 

"What's  that  you're  saying  about  guns  ?"  inquired 
the  Lieutenant,  turning  around.  "You  want  to  load 
them,  and  keep  them  handy.  We're  liable  to  strike 
some  guerrillas  along  the  way,  and  we  must  be 
ready  for  them." 

"You  fellers'll  have  to  do  the  shootin',"  whispered 
Shorty  to  Si.  "It'll  be  a  cold  day  when  I  bang  $150 
in  greenbacks  at  any  rebel  that  ever  jumped.  I'm 
goin'  to  take  the  cap  off  en  my  gun.  The  jostlhY  o' 
the  train's  likely  to  knock  it  off  at  any  time,  and  send 
a  small  fortune  through  the  roof  o'  the  car.  I'd 
take  the  money  out,  but  I'm  afraid  o'  tearin'  it  all 
to  pieces,  with  the  train  plungin'  so." 

He  carefully  half-cocked  his  piece,  took  off  the 
cap,  rubbed  the  nipple  to  remove  any  stray  frag 
ments  of  fulminate,  and  then  let  the  hammer  down 
on  a  piece  of  wadding  taken  from  his  cap. 

The  long  ride  to  Nashville  over  the  ground  on 
which  they  had  been  campaigning  and  fighting  for 
nearly  a  year  would  have  been  of  deepest  interest  to 
Si  and  Shorty,  as  it  was  to  the  rest,  if  they  could 
have  freed  their  minds  of  responsibilities  long 
enough  to  watch  the  scenery.  But  they  would  give 
only  a  cursory  glance  any  say: 

"We'll  look  at  it  as  we  come  back." 

In  the  crowded  depot  at  Nashville  they  had  an 
other  panic,  but  the  Provost-Guard  kept  a  gang 
way  clear  as  soon  as  it  was  discovered  that  they 
were  on  duty. 

"You  can  stack  your  arms  there,  boys,"  said  the 


154  SI    KLEGG. 

Sergeant  of  the  Guard,  "and  go  right  over  there  and 
get  a  warm  supper,  with  plenty  of  coffee." 

All  but  Shorty  obeyed  with  alacrity,  and  stacked 
their  guns  with  the  quickness  of  old  and  hungry  vet 
erans. 

Shorty  kept  hold  of  his  gun  and  started  with  the 
rest  to  the  supper-room. 

"Here,  Injianny,"  called  out  the  Sergeant,  "stack 
your  gun  here  with  the  rest." 

"Don't  want  to — ain't  goin'  to,"  answered  Shorty. 

"What's  the  reason  you  ain't?"  asked  the  Ser 
geant,  catching  hold  of  the  gun.  "Nobody's  going 
to  take  it,  and  if  they  did,  you  can  pick  up  another. 
Plenty  of  'em,  jest  as  good  as  that,  all  around  here." 

"Don't  care.  This  is  my  own  gun.  I  think  more 
of  it  than  any  gun  ever  made,  and  I  ain't  goin'  to 
take  any  chance  of  losin'  it." 

"Well,  then,  you'll  take  a  chance  of  losing  your 
supper,"  answered  the  Sergeant,  "or  rather  you'll 
be  certain  of  it,  for  the  orders  are  strict  against 
taking  guns  into  the  supper-room.  Too  many  acci 
dents  have  happened." 

"Well,  then,"  said  Shorty  stoutly,  "I'll  do  without 
my  supper,  though  I'm  hungrier  than  a  wolf  at  the 
end  of  a  long  Winter." 

"Well,  if  you're  so  infernal  pig-headed,  you've  got 
to,"  answered  the  Sergeant,  nettled  at  Shorty's  ob 
stinacy.  "Go  back  beyond  the  gunstack,  and  stay 
there.  Don't  you  come  nearer  the  door  than  the 
other  side  of  the  stack." 

Shorty's  dander  rose  up  at  once.  At  any  other 
time  he  would  have  conclusions  with  the  Sergeant 
then  and  there.  But  the  remembrance  of  his  charge 


SI    AND    SHORTY    IN    LUCK.  155 

laid  a  repressive  hand  upon  his  quick  choler,  and 
reminded  him  that  any  kind  of  a  row  would  prob 
ably  mean  a  night  in  the  guard-house,  his  gun  in 
some  other  man's  hands,  probably  lost  forever,  and 
so  on.  He  decided  to  defer  thrashing  the  Sergeant 
until  his  return,  when  he  would  give  it  to  him  with 
interest.  He  shouldered  his  gun,  paced  up  and 
down,  watching  with  watering  mouth  the  rest  lux 
uriating  in  a  hot  supper  with  fragrant  coffee  and 
appetizing  viands,  to  which  his  mouth  had  been  a 
stranger  for  many  long  months.  It  cost  a  severe 
struggle,  but  he  triumphed. 

Si,  in  his  own  hungry  eagerness,  had  not  missed 
him,  until  his  own  appetite  began  to  be  appeased 
by  the  vigorous  onslaught  he  made  on  the  eatables. 
Then  he  looked  around  for  his  partner,  and  was 
horrified  not  to  find  him  by  his  side. 

"Where's  Shorty,"  he  anxiously  inquired. 

Each  looked  at  the  other  in  surprise,  and  asked: 

"Why,  ain't  he  here?" 

"No,  confound  it;  he  ain't  here,"  said  Si,  excitedly 
springing  to  his  feet;  "he  has  been  knocked  down 
and  robbed." 

Si  bolted  out,  followed  by  the  rest.  They  saw 
Shorty  marching  up  and  down  as  a  sentinel  sternly 
military,  and  holding  his  Springfield  as  rigidly  cor 
rect  as  if  in  front  of  the  Colonel's  quarters. 

"What's  the  .matter  with  you,  Shorty  ?  Why  don't 
you  come  in  to  supper?"  called  out  Si.  "It's  a 
mighty  good  square  meal.  Come  on  in." 

"Can't  do  it.  Don't  want  no  supper.  Ain't 
hungry.  Got  business  out  here,"  answered  Shorty, 


156  SI   KLEGG. 

who  had  gotten  one  of  his  rare  fits  of  considering 
himself  a  martyr. 

"Nonsense,"  said  Si.  "Put  your  gun  in  the  stack 
and  come  in.  It's  a  bully  supper.  Best  we've  had 
for  a  year." 

"Well,  eat  it,  then,"  answered  Shorty  crustily. 
"I've  got  something  more  important  to  think  of  than 
good  suppers." 

"0,  rats!  It's  as  safe  in  there  as  out  here.  Set 
your  gun  down  and  come  on  in." 

"This  gun  shall  not  leave  my  side  till  we're  home," 
said  Shorty  in  a  tone  that  would  have  become  the 
Koman  sentinel  at  Pompeii. 

"0,  I  forgot,"  said  Si.  "Well,  bring  it  in  with 
you." 

"Can't  do  it.  Strictly  agin  orders  to  take  any 
guns  inside.  But  leave  me  alone.  Go  back  and  fin 
ish  your  gorge.  I  kin  manage  to  hold  out  somehow," 
answered  Shorty  in  a  tone  of  deep  resignation  that 
made  Si  want  to  box  his  ears. 

"That's  too  bad.  But  I'll  tell  you  what  we  can 
do.  I've  had  a  purty  good  feed  already — enough  to 
last  me  to  Looeyville.  Let  me  take  your  gun.  I'll 
carry  it  while  you  go  in  and  fill  up.  We  hain't  much 
time  left." 

The  fragrance  of  the  coffee,  the  smell  of  the  fried 
ham  smote  Shorty's  olfactories  with  almost  irresist 
ible  force.  He  wavered  just  a  little.. 

"Si,  I'd  trust  you  as  I  would  no  other  man  in  Co. 
Q  or  the  regiment.  I'll" 

Then  his  Spartan  virtue  reasserted  itself: 

"No,  Si ;  you're  too  young  and  skittish.  You  mean 
well,  but  you  have  spells,  when" 


SI    AND    SHORTY    IN    LUCK.  157 

"Fall  in,  men,"  said  Lieut.  Bowersox,  bustling  out 
from  a  good  meal  in  the  officers'  room.  "Fall  in 
promptly.  We  must  hurry  up  to  catch  the  Looey- 
ville  train." 

The  car  for  Louisville  was  filled  with  characters 
as  to  whom  there  was  entirely  too  much  ground  for 
fear — gamblers,  "skin-game"  men,  thieves,  and  all 
the  human  vermin  that  hang  around  the  rear  of  a 
great  army.  Neither  of  the  boys  allowed  themselves 
a  wink  of  sleep,  but  sat  bolt  upright  the  entire 
night,  watching  everyone  with  steady,  stern  eyes. 
They  recognized  all  the  rascals  they  had  seen  "run 
ning  games"  around  the  camps  at  Murfreesboro,  and 
who  had  been  time  and  again  chased  out  of  camp — 
even  the  whisky  seller  with  whom  Si's  father  had 
the  adventure.  The  Provost-Guard  had  been  mak 
ing  one  of  its  periodical  cleaning-ups  of  Nashville, 
and  driving  out  the  obnoxious  characters.  Sev 
eral  of  these  had  tried  to  renew  their  acquaintance 
by  offering  drinks  from  well-filled  bottles,  but  they 
were  sternly  repulsed,  and  Shorty  quietly  knocked 
one  persistent  fellow  down  with  a  quick  whirl  of 
his  gun-barrel.  When  Shorty  was  hungry  it  was 
dangerous  to  trfle  with  him. 

They  arrived  at  Louisville  late  in  the  morning, 
and  were  hurried  across  the  river  to  Jeffersonville. 
Fortunately  they  were  able  to  find  there  an  eating- 
room  where  guns  were  not  barred,  and  Shorty  made 
amends  for  the  past  by  ravaging  as  far  as  his  arms 
could  reach,  holding  his  precious  gun  firmly  between 
his  knees. 

"Say,  pardner,"  said  the  man  who  ran  the  estab 
lishment,  "I'd  much  rather  board  you  for  a  day  than 


158  SI    KLEGG. 

a  week.  Rebels  must've  cut  off  the  supply-trains 
where  you've  bin.  You're  not  comin'  this  way  agin 
soon,  air  you  ?  I'm  afraid  I  won't  make  'nough  this 
month  to  pay  my  rent." 

Lieut.  Bowersox  came  in  with  a  telegram  in  his 
hand. 

"We  won't  go  on  to  Indianapolis,"  he  said.  "I'm 
ordered  to  wait  here  for  our  squad,  which  will  prob 
ably  get  here  by  to-morrow  evening." 

A  wild  hope  flashed  up  in  Si's  mind. 

"Lieutenant,"  he  said,  "we  live  right  over  there 
in  Posey  County.  Can't  you  let  us  go  home?  We 
can  make  it,  and  be  back  here  before  to-morrow 
night." 

"I  don't  know,"  said  the  Lieutenant  doubtfully,  as 
he  mentally  calculated  the  distance  to  Posey  County. 
"I  hadn't  ought  to  let  you  go.  Then,  you  can't 
have  more  than  an  hour  or  two  at  home." 

"0,'  goodness;  just  think  o'  havin'  one  hour  at 
home,"  ejaculated  Si. 

"It  seems   too  bad,"   continued   the  Lieutenant, 

moved  by  Si's  earnestness,  "to  bring  you  this  near, 

and  not  let  you  have  a  chance  to  see  your  folks. 

It'll  be  a  risk  for  me,  and  there  are  not  many  men 

;Ti  the  regiment  I'd  take  it  for,  but  I'll  let  you  go. 

iemember,  it'll  make  a  whole  lot  of  trouble  for  me 

f  you're  not  here  by  to-morrow  evening." 

"We'll  be  here  by  to-morrow  evening,  if  alive," 
M  pledged  himself. 

'Well,  then,  go,"  said  the  Lieutenant. 

Si's  head  fairly  swam,  and  he  and  Shorty  ran  so 
y'ast  to  make  sure  of  the  train  that  there  was  a  sus- 


SI    AND    SHORTY    IN    LUCK. 


159 


picion  in  the  minds  of  some  of  the  citizens  that  they 
were  escaping  from  their  officers. 

Si's  heart  was  in  a  tumult  as  the  engine-bell  rang 
its  final  warning  and  the  engine  moved  out  with 
increasing  speed.  Every  roll  of  the  swift  wheels 


"FATHER,  THERE'S  A  COUPLE  OF  SOLDIERS  OUT  THERE." 

was  carrying  him  nearer  the  dearest  ones  on  earth. 
The  landscape  seemed  to  smile  at  him  as  he  sped 
past. 

"Isn't    this    the     grandest    country    on     earth, 
Shorty?"  he  bubbled  over.     "It's  God's  country  for 


160  SI    KLEGG. 

a  fact.  So  different  from  old  run-down,  rebel-rid 
den  Tennessee.  Look  at  the  houses  and  the  farms; 
look  at  the  people  and  the  live-stock.  Look  at  the 
towns  and  the  churches.  Look  at  everything. 
Here's  the  country  where  people  live.  Down  yon- 
der's  only  where  they  stay  and  raise  Cain." 

"Yes,"  admitted  Shorty,  who  had  not  so  much 
reason  for  being  enthusiastic;  "but  the  Wisconsin 
boys  say  that  Wisconsin's  as  much  finer  than  In- 
jianny  as  Injianny's  finer'n  Tennessee.  I'll  take  you 
up  there  some  day  and  show  you." 

"Don't  believe  a  dumbed  word  of  it,"  said  Si,  hot 
with  State  pride.  "God  never  made  a  finer  country 
than  Injianny.  Wisconsin's  nowhere." 

Then  he  bethought  himself  of  the  many  reasons 
he  had  for  gladness  in  his  home-coming  which  his 
partner  had  not,  and  said  thoughtfully: 

"I  wish,  Shorty,  you  wuz  goin'  home,  too,  to  your 
father  and  mother  and  sisters,  and — and — best  girl. 
But  my  father  and  mother'll  be  as  glad  to  see  you  as 
if  you  was  their  own  son,  and  the  girls'll  make  just 
as  much  of  you,  and  mebbe  you'll  find  another  girl 
there  that's  purtier  and  better,  and" 

"Stop  right  there,  Si  Klegg,"  said  Shorty.  "All 
girls  is  purty  and  nice — that  is,  them  that  is  purty 
and  nice,  but  some's  purtier  and  nicer  than  others. 
Then,  agin,  one's  a  hundred  times  purtier  and 
nicer  than  any  o'  them.  I've  no  doubt  that  the 
girls  out  your  way  are  much  purtier  and  nicer'n 
the  general  run  o'  girls,  but  none  o'  them  kin  hold  a 
candle  to  that  girl  up  in  Wisconsin,  and  I  won't  have 
you  sayin'  so." 

"If  we're  on  time,"  said  Si,  by  way  of  changing 


SI    AND    SHORTY    IN    LUCK.  161 

the  subject,  "we'll  git  to  the  station  about  sundown. 
The  farm's  about  three  miles  from  the  station,  and 
we'll  reach  home  after  supper.  Pap'll  be  settin' 
out  on  the  front  porch,  smokin',  and  readin'  the 
Cincinnati  Gazette,  and  mother'll  be  settin'  beside 
him  knittin',  and  the  girls'll  be  clearin'  away  the 
supper  things.  My,  won't  they  be  surprised  to  see 
us !  Won't  there  be  a  time !  And  won't  mother  and 
the  girls  fly  around  to  git  us  something  to  eat! 
Won't  they  shake  up  that  old  cook-stove,  and  grind 
coffee,  and  fry  ham  and  eggs,  and  bake  biscuits, 
and  git  us  cool,  sweet  milk  and  delicious  butter  from 
the  old  spring-house,  and  talk  all  the  time!  Shorty, 
you  never  heard  my  sisters  talk,  especially  when 
they're  a  little  excited.  Gracious,  they'll  just  talk 
the  ears  off  both  of  us." 

"Well,  if  they  take  after  you,  they  are  talkers 
from  Talkville,"  said  Shorty.  "Mill-wheels  ain't  in 
it  with  your  tongue,  when  it  gits  fairly  started." 

The  train  was  on  time,  and  just  as  the  sun  was 
setting  behind  the  fringe  of  cottonwoods  along  Bean 
Blossom  Creek  they  stopped  at  the  little  station, 
and  started  to  walk  out  to  the  farm.  A  neighbor 
who  was  drawing  a  load  of  tile  from  the  station 
recognized  Si,  and  begged  them  to  get  up  and  ride, 
but  the  team  was  too  slow  for  the  impatient  boys, 
and  they  forged  ahead.  A  thousand  well-remem 
bered  objects  along  the  road  would  have  arrested 
Si's  attention  were  it  not  for  the  supreme  interest 
farther  on.  At  last  they  came  to  a  little  rise  of 
ground  which  commanded  a  view  of  the  house,  and 
there,  as  Si  predicted,  sat  his  father  and  mother  en 
gaged  in  smoking,  reading  and  knitting.  His  first 


162  SI    KLEGG. 

impulse  was  to  yell  with  delight,  but  he  restrained 
himself,  and  walked  as  steadily  on  as  he  could  to 
the  front  gate.  Old  Towser  set  up  a  bark  and  ran 
down  the  walk,  and  then  changed  his  note  to  de 
lightful  yelps  of  recognition.  Si  was  so  nervous  that 
he  fumbled  vainly  for  a  minute  at  the  gate-latch, 
and  while  he  did  so  he  heard  his  mother  say: 
"Father,  there's  a  couple  o'  soldiers  out  there." 
"Wonder  if  they  kin  be  from  Si's  company,"  said 
the  father,  lowering  his  paper,  and  looking  over  Ms 
spectacles. 

"Why,  it's  Si  himself,"  screamed  the  mother  in 
joyful  accents.  The  next  instant  she  had  sped  down 
the  walk  quicker  than  she  had  ever  gone  in  her 
girlhood  days,  her  arms  about  his  neck,  and  she 
was  crying  on  his  shoulder. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


MANY  HAPPY  EVENTS  —  HOURS  THAT  WERE  ALL-TOO- 
FEW    AND    ALL-TOO-SHORT. 

THE  girls  heard  their  mother's  happy  scream 
and  rushed  out,  dish  towels  in  hand.  They 
at  once  realized  what  had  happened,  piped 
up  their  joyous  altos,  and  precipitated  themselves 
upon  Si.  The  good  old  Deacon  came  trotting  down 
the  walk,  fidgeting  with  his  spectacles,  but  so  en 
veloped  was  his  son  with  skirts  and  women's  arms 
and  happy,  teary  faces  that  he  could  not  get  within 
arm's  length  of  him.  So  he  turned  to  Shorty : 

"Great  day,  Shorty,  but  I'm  glad  to  see  you! 
Come  right  up  on  the  steps  and  set  down.  How'd 
you  happen  to  come  home.  Either  of  you  sick  or 
wounded?" 

"Nope,"  answered  Shorty  sententiously.  "Both 
sound  as  nuts  and  healthy  as  mules." 

"Well,  come  right  up  on  the  porch  and  set  down. 
You  must  be  awful  tired.  Le'me  carry  your  gun 
and  things  for  you." 

He  took  hold  of  the  gun  with  such  a  desire  to  do 
something  that  Shorty  was  fain  to  yield  it,  saying: 

"Deacon,  you  are  the  first  man  in  about  a  million 
betwixt  here  and  the  Tennessee  River  that  I'd  let 
tech  that  gun.  I  don't  know  now  of  another  man  in 
the  United  States  that  I'd  trust  it  with.  That  'ere 
gun  is  loaded  plum  full  of  other  folks's  money." 


164  SI    KLEGG. 

"Goodness,  is  that  so?"  said  the  Deacon,  handling 
the  musket  with  increased  respect.  "I've  heard  o' 
a  bar'l  o'  money,  but  never  supposed  that  it  was  a 
gun  bar'l." 

"And  more'n  that,"  continued  Shorty,  "there's  a 
full-grown  cartridge  below  that  might  shoot  a  war 
widow's  new  dress  and  shoes  for  the  children  off 
into  the  moon." 

"Goodness  gracious!"  ejaculated  the  Deacon,  hold 
ing  out  the  gun  as  he  did  Si  the  first  time  that  in 
teresting  infant  was  placed  in  his  hands,  "handlin' 
other  people's  money's  always  ticklish  business,  but 
this's  a  leetle  the  ticklishest  I  ever  heard  of." 

"That's  what  bin  wearin'  me  down  to  the  bone," 
responded  Shorty  soberly,  and  as  they  reached  the 
porch  he  explained  the  situation  to  the  Deacon,  who 
took  the  gun  in  the  house,  and  laid  it  carefully  on  a 
bed  in  the  "spare  room." 

"Girls,  you're  smotherin'  me !  Let  up,  won't  you  ? 
Mandy,  you  dabbed  that  wet  dishcloth  right  in  my 
eye  then.  Maria,  I  can't  talk  or  even  breathe  with 
your  arm  over  my  windpipe.  You,  dear  mother, 
I'll  pick  you  up  and  carry  you  into  the  house,  if 
you'll  let  me,"  Si  was  trying  to  say.  "I  can't  an 
swer  all  your  questions  at  once,  'specially  when 
you're  shuttin'  off  my  breath  an'  dinnin'  my  ears 
till  I  can't  hear  myself  think." 

"Le's  carry  your  things  up,  Si,"  said  Maria,  after 
Si  had  gotten  them  calmed  down  a  little.  "You  must 
be  awful  tired." 

Si  saw  that  this  would  be  the  best  way  to  keep 
the  girls  off,  while  he  devoted  his  attention  to  his 
mother.  He  handed  his  gun  and  belt  to  Maria,  who 


MANY   HAPPY  EVENTS. 


165 


marched  on  ahead,  triumphantly  waving  her  dish- 
towel  as  a  gonfalon  of  victory,  while  she  cheered 
for  the  Union  in  her  sweet  contralto.  Mandy  took 
possession  of  his  blanket  roll  and  haversack,  while 


THE  FIRST  WAD  CAME  OUT  EASILY  AND  ALL  RIGHT. 


Si  almost  carried  his  tearful  mother  on  to  the  porch. 
There  her  housewifely  instinct  at  once  asserted  it 
self. 

"I  know  you  and  your  friend  there  must  jest  be 
starvin'/'  she  said,  gathering  herself  up.    "I  never 


166  SI    KLEGG. 

knowed  when  you  wasn't,  if  you'd  bin  an  hour  from 
the  table." 

"Shorty's  worse'n  me,"  said  Si  with  a  grin.  "But 
I  haven't  interduced  him  yit.  Mother,  girls,  this 
is  Shorty,  my  pardner,  and  the  best  pardner  a  feller 
ever  had." 

"Glad  to  know  you,  Mr.  Shorty,"  said  they,  shak 
ing  his  hand.  "We've  heard  so  much  of  you  that  we 
feel  that  we've  knowed  you  all  along." 

"Drop  the  Mister,  then,"  said  Shorty.  "I'm  plain 
Shorty  to  everybody  until  I'm  out  o'  the  army.  I've 
heard  so  much  of  you  that  I  feel,  too,  that  I've  bin 
acquainted  with  you  all  my  life." 

"Girls,"  commanded  the  mother,  "come  on  and 
let's  git  the  boys  something  to  eat." 

"No,  mother,"  pleaded  Si,  holding  fast  to  her 
hand.  "Let  the  girls  do  it.  I  want  you  to  sit  here 
and  talk  to  me." 

"No,  Si,"  answered  the  mother,  kissing  him  again, 
and  releasing  her  hand,  "I  must  do  it  myself.  I 
must  cook  your  supper  for  you.  The  girls  won't 
do  it  half  well  enough." 

She  hustled  away  to  the  kitchen,  and  Si  and 
Shorty  explained  to  the  Deacon  the  circumstances  of 
their  visit,  and  that  they  must  leave  by  the  next 
train  going  east,  in  order  to  keep  their  promise  to 
Lieut.  Bowersox.  The  Deacon  immediately  started 
Abraham  Lincoln  and  the  boy  on  saddle  horses 
to  bring  in  the  neighbors  to  see  the  boys,  and  get 
the  money  that  had  been  sent  them.  They  went 
into  an  inner  room,  carefully  blinded  the  windows, 
and  began  to  draw  out  the  money  from  various 


MANY   HAPPY   EVENTS.  167 

pockets,  cartridge-boxes,  and  other  receptacles  about 
their  persons. 

All  drew  a  long  breath  of  relief  when,  counting 
that  in  Shorty's  gun,  every  dollar  was  found  to 
be  safe. 

"But  how  in  time  you're  ever  goin'  to  git  that 
money  out  o'  that  gun  beats  me,"  said  the  Deacon, 
picking  up  the  musket,  and  gazing  dubiously  into 
the  muzzle.  "It  was  a  mighty  smart  thing  to  do 
down  at  the  front,  but  what  are  you  going  to  do 
now,  when  you  want  to  give  the  money  to  the  people 
it  belongs  to?" 

"It  certainly  don't  seem  as  smart  as  it  did  that 
night  on  the  banks  o'  the  Tennessee,"  Shorty  ad 
mitted  as  he  fixed  his  bullet  screw  on  the  end  of 
his  rammer,  "but  I'm  goin'  to  trust  to  my  own  smart 
ness  and  the  Providence  that  provides  for  war 
widows  and  orphans  to  git  out  every  dollar  in  good 
shape  for  them  it  was  intended  for." 

The  bullet-screw  brought  out  the  first  "wad" 
easily  and  all  right. 

"Well,  Providence  is  lookin'  out  for  Jim  Irvin's 
wife  and  children  all  right,"  said  Shorty,  as  they 
smoothed  out  the  bills  and  found  them  intact. 

The  next  attmept  was  equally  successful,  and  as 
Shorty  unrolled  the  bills  he  remarked: 

"Providence  is  again  overlookin'.  There's  Jim 
Beardslee's  $50  for  his  widowed  mother." 

"And  she  needs  it,  poor  woman,"  said  the  Deacon. 
"I've  seen  that  she  had  all  the  meat  and  wood  she's 
needed  since  Jim  enlisted,  and  Deacon  Flagler  keeps 
her  in  flour." 

The  next  offered  more  difficulty.     The  rammings 


168  SI    KLEGG. 

on  those  above  had  compacted  it  pretty  solidly.  The 
bullet  screw  cut  off  bits  of  it,  and  when  finally  it 
was  gotten  out  the  $10  bill  was  in  pieces. 

"That's  Alf  Ellerby's  gift  to  his  lame  sister,"  said 
Shorty,  as  he  ruefully  surveyed  the  fragments.  "I'm 
afraid  Providence  wasn't  mindin'  just  then,  but  I'll 
give  her  a  good  bill  out  o'  my  own  pocket." 

"No,  you  needn't,"  said  Maria,  who  had  slipped 
in,  fork  in  hand,  to  pinch  Si,  kiss  him,  and  ask  him 
a  question  which  she  did  not  want  Mandy  to  hear; 
"I  kin  paste  that  all  together  with  white  of  egg  so's 
it'll  look  as  good  as  ever.  I  done  that  with  a  bill 
that  Towser  snatched  out  o'  my  hand  and  chawed 
before  I  could  git  it  away  from  him.  The  store 
keeper  took  it  and  said  it  was  just  as  good  as  any. 
Sophy  Ellerby  'd  rather  have  it  that  way  than  a 
new  bill,  so  long's  it  comes  direct  from  Alf." 

Again  Shorty  sent  down  the  bullet  screw,  and 
again  there  was  more  tearing  off  of  bits,  and  finally 
a  mangled  $20  bill  was  dragged  forth  and  laid  aside 
for  Mandy  to  repair.  "Ike  Englehardt  sent  that 
to  his  mother  to  help  take  his  sister  through  the 
Normal  School,  so's  she  kin  become  a  teacher.  She'll 
git  that  all  right.  But  I've  broken  my  bullet  screw 
in  that  wrastle.  It  snapped  clean  off,  and  I've  got 
the  worst  job  of  all  now — to  get  out  $100  in  two 
50's  that  Abe  Trelawney  sent  his  mother  to  meet 
that  mortgage  on  her  little  house.  Abe's  bin  savin' 
it  up  for  months,  and  I  was  more  anxious  about  it 
than  any  other,  and  so  I  put  it  down  first.  Si,  let 
me  have  your  bullet-screw." 

"Hain't  got  none.  Lost  mine  weeks  ago,  while  we 
was  on  the  Tullahomy  march." 


MANY   HAPPY  EVENTS.  169 

"Great  Jehosephat!  what  am  I  goin'  to  do?" 
groaned  Shorty,  the  sweat  starting  out  on  his  fore 
head.  "Now's  the  time  for  Providence  to  help  out, 
if  He's  goin'  to.  I'm  at  the  end  o'  my  string." 

"Supper's  ready,  boys ;  come  on  in,"  announced  the 
sweet,  motherly  voice  of  Mrs.  Klegg.  She  seconded 
her  invitation  with  her  arm  around  Si  and  a  kiss  on 
his  cheek.  "Father,  bring  Shorty,  unless  he'd  rather 
walk  with  the  girls." 

Shorty  was  altogether  too  bashful  to  take  advan 
tage  of  the  direct  hint.  Si's  lively  sisters  filled  him 
with  a  nervous  dread  of  his  social  shortcomings.  He 
grew  very  red  in  the  face,  hung  back  from  them, 
and  caught  hold  of  the  Deacon's  arm. 

"Go  slow  with  him,  girls,"  whispered  the  Deacon 
to  his  daughters,  after  they  were  seated  at  the  table. 
"He's  a  mighty  good  boy,  but  he  ain't  used  to  girls." 

"He's  rather  good  looking,  if  he  does  act  sheep 
ish,"  returned  Mandy. 

"Well,  he  ain't  a  mite  sheepish  when  there's  seri 
ous  business  on  hand,"  returned  the  father.  "And 
next  to  ourselves,  he's  the  best  friend  your  brother 
has." 

It  had  been  many  years  since  the  wandering, 
rough-living  Shorty  had  sat  down  to  such  an  invit 
ing,  well-ordered  table.  Probably  he  never  had.  No 
people  in  the  whole  world  live  better  than  the  pros 
perous  Indiana  farmers,  and  Mrs.  Klegg  was  known 
far  and  wide  for  her  housewifely  talents.  The 
snowy  table  linen,  the  spotless  dishes,  the  tastefully- 
prepared  food  would  have  done  credit  to  a  royal  ban 
quet.  Hungry  as  he  was,  the  abashed  Shorty  fidget 
ed  in  his  chair,  and  watched  Si  begin  before  he 


170  SI   KLEGG. 

ventured  to  make  an  attack.  The  mother  and  girls 
were  too  busy  plying  Si  with  questions  and  anticipat 
ing  his  wants  to  notice  Shorty's  embarrassment. 

Si  was  making  a  heroic  effort  to  eat  everything  in 
sight,  to  properly  appreciate  all  the  toothsome  things 
that  loving  hands  were  pressing  upon  him,  and  to 
answer  the  myriad  of  questions  that  were  showered 
upon  him,  and  to  get  in  a  few  questions  of  his  own 
at  the  same  time.  He  just  found  time  to  ask  Shorty : 

"Say,  this  is  great — this  's  like  livin',  ain't  it?" 

And  Shorty  replied  with  deep  feeling: 
.  "Just  out  o'  sight.    How  in  the  world'd  you  ever 
come  to  enlist  and  leave  all  this?" 

The  neighbors  began  gathering  in — fathers, 
mothers  and  sisters  of  members  of  Co.  Q,  all  full  of 
eager  questions  as  to  their  kindred,  and  this  relieved 
Shorty,  for  he  could  tell  them  quite  as  well  as  Si. 

The  supper  ended,  the  problem  of  the  money  in 
the  gun  again  loomed  up.  Everyone  had  an  opinion 
as  to  how  to  extricate  the  valuable  charge.  The 
women,  of  course,  suggested  hair-pins,  but  these 
were  tried  without  success.  A  gimlet  taken  from 
its  handle  and  secured  to  the  ramrod,  refused  to  take 
hold. 

Somebody  suggested  shooting  the  gun  across  a 
pond  of  water,  and  getting  the  money  that  way,  but 
it  was  decided  that  the  force  of  the  Springfield 
seemed  too  great  for  any  body  of  water  in  the 
neighborhood.  Then  Jabe  Clemmons,  the  "specula 
tive"  genius  of  the  neighborhood,  spoke  up: 

"Gentlemen,  I've  an  idee.  Deacon,  how  much  is 
in  that  small  haystack  of  your'n?" 

"  'Bout  10  tons,"  answered  the  Deacon. 


MANY   HAPPY  EVENTS.  171 

"Jest  about.  Well,  I'll  pay  you  the  regular  mar 
ket  price  for  it,  and  give  $100  to  Miss  Trelawney. 
Now,  let  this  gentleman  stand  50  feet  from  it  and 
shoot  his  gun  at  it.  He  mustn't  tell  none  of  us 
where  he  aims  at.  I'll  sell  you,  gentlemen,  that  hay 
in  40  quarter-ton  lots,  commencing  at  the  top,  each 
man  to  pay  $2  besides  the  regular  price  for  a  quar 
ter  ton  o'  hay,  an'  we'll  draw  numbers  as  to  our 
turns  in  takin'  the  fodder." 

"Looks  somethin'  like  gamblin',"  demurred  the 
Deacon. 

"No  more'n  church  lotteries,"  answered  Jabe, 
"since  it's  for  a  good  purpose.  Now,  gentlemen, 
who  wants  to  buy  a  quarter  ton  of  Deacon  Klegg's 
first-class  hay?" 

At  once  he  had  replies  enough  to  take  the  whole 
stack,  but  while  he  was  writing  down  the  names 
Deacon  Klegg  had  another  idea. 

"I  can't  quite  git  my  mind  reconciled  to  gamblin', 
even  for  a  good  purpose,"  he  said.  "And  I  ain't  sure 
about  how  the  two  50's  '11  strike  the  haystack.  It'd 
be  a  sin  if  they  were  destroyed,  as  they  are  likely 
to  be.  I've  another  idee.  My  well  there  is  25  foot 
deep.  Let's  take  the  bucket  out,  and  let  Shorty  shoot 
his  gun  straight  down  into  the  well.  I  believe  the 
money'll  come  out  all  right.  If  it  don't  I'll  make  it 
up  myself,  rather  than  be  a  party  to  a  gamble." 

"May  blow  the  bottom  o'  your  old  well  out," 
muttered  Jabe  Clemmons,  who  dearly  loved  anything 
in  the  shape  of  a  game  of  hazard. 

"I'll  resk  that,"  said  the  Deacon.  "I  kin  dig  an 
other  well,  if  necessary." 

The    Deacon's    proposal    was    carried.      Shorty, 


172  SI    KLEGG. 

holding  the  butt  of  his  gun  carefully  upright,  fired 
down  into  the  well.  A  boy  was  lowered  in  the 
bucket,  and  soon  announced  by  a  joyful  cry  that 
he  had  gotten  the  bills.  Upon  being  brought  up 
and  examined  they  were  found  to  be  uninjured,  ex 
cept  by  a  slight  singeing  at  the  edges. 

"Providence's  agin  managin'  things,"  murmured 
Shorty  gratefully;  "but  the  Deacon's  gumption 
helped  out." 

All  the  money  for  those  not  present  to  receive  it 
ill  person  was  turned  over  to  the  Deacon,  and  then 
for  the  first  time  the  boys  felt  relieved  of  a  great 
responsibility. 

"There  are  two  trains  goin'  east,"  said  the  Deacon, 
in  response  to  their  inquiries  as  to  the  facilities  for 
returning.  "The  through  express  passes  here  at 
3:15,  and  it'll  git  you  to  Jeffersonville  early  in  the 
morning.  The  accommodation  passes  about  day 
break,  and  it'll  git  you  there  in  the  evenin',  if  it 
makes  connections,  which  it  often  doesn't." 

"We  must  go  on  the  through  express,"  said  Si 
firmly.  There  was  a  loud  outcry  by  the  mother  and 
sisters,  but  the  father  recognized  the  demands  of 
military  discipline. 

Si  began  to  fidget  to  get  away  from  the  crowd  of 
eager  inquirers,  which  Mandy  noticing,  she  found 
opportunity  to  whisper : 

"Don't  fret.    She'll  be  here  presently." 

Si's  face  burned.  He  had  thought  his  secret  well- 
kept,  but  here  his  sisters  read  his  thoughts  like  an 
open  book.  He  had  wanted  to  go  to  Annabel,  and 
have  a  few  golden  minutes  alone  with  her.  Just 
what  for — just  what  he  would  say  or  do  he  did  not 


MANY   HAPPY  EVENTS. 


173 


in  the  least  know — he  could  not  imagine.  Only  he 
felt  that  in  some  way  the  main  interest  of  his  life 
depended  on  seeing  her  somewhere  remote  from 
curious  eyes  and  listening  ears.  He  wanted  to  go 


'ANNABEL,  HOW  PURTY  YOU  LOOK.' 


to  her,  not  to  have  her  come  to  him,  and  meet  him 
in  such  a  throng  as  was  gathered  at  his  home. 

While  these  thoughts  were  coursing  through  his 
mind  he  heard  Maria  call: 


174  SI   KLEGG. 

"Si,  come  here  into  my  room.  I  want  to  show 
you  the  purtiest  thing  you  ever  saw." 

While  Mandy  was  a  most  correct  young  woman, 
she  could  not  withstand  giving  a  significant  wink 
to  those  around,  to  which  they  responded  with  know 
ing  smiles.  These,  fortunately,  Si  did  not  see.  He 
arose  at  once,  the  people  made  way,  and  he  was 
led  by  Maria  to  her  room.  She  opened  the  door 
and  said: 

"There,  now,  kiss  me  for  a  loving  sister." 

It  was  a  fervent  kiss  that  Si  rewarded  her  with, 
for,  there,  rising  from  her  chair  as  the  door  opened, 
dressed  in  her  best,  and  her  face  wreathed  with 
smiles  and  blushes,  stood  Annabel. 

"Since  you  are  so  mean  about  goin'  away  so  soon, 
you  can  only  have  10  minutes  together;  make  the 
most  of  it,"  laughed  Maria,  and  she  scudded  back  to 
the  sitting-room. 

Si  stood  for  an  instant  dazed.  How  beautiful  she 
was — far  more  so  than  his  recollections  had  painted 
her.  She  had  blossomed  out  from  the  school-girl 
into  the  mature  woman,  and  every  feature  ripened. 
Fair  as  his  home  seemed  in  contrast  with  the  coun 
try  he  had  left,  she  seemed  still  fairer  in  contrast 
with  any  woman  he  had  ever  seen.  Where  were  the 
thousand  things  that,  brooding  by  the  campfire  and 
lying  in  his  tent,  he  thought  over  to  say  to  her  when 
they  met?  All  forgotten  or  dismissed  as  inappropri 
ate.  He  simply  stood  and  gazed  at  her.  She  re 
covered  herself  first,  and  said  teasingly: 

"Well,  how  do  you  do?  Ain't  you  going  to  speak? 
Ain't  you  glad  to  see  me?" 

Si  could  only  step  forward  and  take  her  hand,  and 
murmur : 


MANY  HAPPY  EVENTS.  175 

"Annabel,  how  purty  you  look.  How  you've 
growed,  and  all  purtier.  I'm  awfully  glad  to  see 
you.  That's  what  I  most  wanted  to  come  home  for." 

Then  his  face  burned  with  new  blushes  to  think 
how  much  he  had  said.  They  sat  down,  he  still 
holding  her  hand,  with  his  eyes  fixed  upon  her  face. 
Somehow,  in  the  mysterious  telegraphy  of  first  love, 
they  so  fully  understood  one  another  that  words 
were  unnecessary. 

Speechless,  but  fuller  of  happiness  than  they  ever 
dreamed  was  possible  in  the  world,  they  sat  with 
clasped  hands  until  Maria  came  back,  calling  out: 

"Time's  up.  The  folks  say  that  they  can't  let 
Annabel  have  you  any  longer.  Come  into  the  sit 
ting-room,  both  of  you.  Come  along,  Si.  Come 
along,  Annabel." 

Si  rose  obediently,  but  Annabel  declined  to  go. 
She  did  not  say  why,  but  Maria,  with  a  woman's 
instincts,  knew  that  she  wanted  to  be  alone  to  think 
it  all  over.  Maria  therefore  hurried  back. 

"Good-by,  Annabel,"  he  said,  pressing  her  hand 
again.  "I'll  write  to  you  first  thing  when  I  git 
back." 

"Good-by,  Si.  God  keep  you  for  me,  safe  through 
battles  and  dangers." 

She  turned  away  to  hide  her  bursting  tears. 

It  was  astonishing  how  quick  midnight  came. 
When  the  clock  striking  12  smote  the  ears  of  the 
family,  nobody  had  said,  heard  or  asked  one  tithe 
of  what  he  or  she  was  burning  eager  to,  yet  the 
parting  was  but  a  little  more  than  two  brief  hours 
away. 

With  a  heart  heavier  even  than  when  she  parted 


176  SI   KLEGG. 

from  her  boy  for  the  first  time,  Mrs.  Klegg  arose, 
and  sought  to  distract  her  thoughts  by  collecting  as 
big  a  package  as  they  could  carry  of  the  choicest 
eatables.  How  often  she  stopped  to  cry  softly  into 
her  apron  not  even  the  girls  knew,  for  she  was  re 
solved  to  keep  up  a  brave  front,  especially  before  Si, 
and  would  carefully  wash  all  traces  of  tears  from 
her  face,  and  clear  the  sobs  from  her  throat  before 
re-entering  the  room  where  he  was. 

Shorty  had  at  once  been  taken  to  the  hearts  of 
everyone,  and  all  the  older  men  urged  him  to  "come 
back  here  as  soon  as  the  war's  over,  marry  a  nice 
girl,  and  settle  down  among  us." 

Si  received  many  compliments  upon  his  develop 
ment  into  such  a  fine,  stalwart  man. 

One  after  another  said: 

"Si,  what  a  fine,  big  man  you've  growed  into.  I 
declare,  you're  a  credit  to  your  father  and  mother 
and  the  settlement.  We  all  expect  you  to  come  back 
a  Captain  or  a  Colonel,  and  we'll  run  you  for 
Sheriff  or  County  Commissioner,  or  something  as 
big." 

"0,  anything  but  Treasurer,"  Si  would  laughingly 
reply.  "I've  had  enough  handling  other  folks'  money 
to  last  me  my  life." 

Presently  Abraham  Lincoln  brought  the  spring 
wagon  around.  Even  in  the  moonlight  Si  could  see 
that  freedom  and  the  Deacon's  tuition  had  developed 
the  ex-slave  into  a  much  better  man  than  the  wretch 
ed  runaway  whom  his  father  had  protected.  He 
wanted  to  know  more  of  him,  but  there  were  too 
many  demands  upon  his  attention.  They  all  mount 
ed  into  the  wagon,  the  bundles  were  piled  in,  one 


MANY   HAPPY  EVENTS.  177 

last  embrace  from  his  mother,  and  they  drove  away, 
reaching  the  station  just  in  time  to  catch  the  train. 
As  he  kissed  Maria  good-by  she  shoved  a  letter  into 
his  hand,  saying: 

"This  is  from  Annabel.    Eead  it  after  you  git  on." 

As  the  train  whirled  away  Si  made  an  excuse  to 

go  away  from  Shorty,  and  standing  up  under  the 

lamp  in  the  next  car  he  read  on  a  tear-stained  sheet : 

"Deer  Si:  I  wanted  so  much  to  tel  you,  but  the 
words  wooddent  come  to  my  lips,  that  Ime  yours  til 
deth,  no  matter  what  happens,  and  Ime  shure  you 
feel  the  saim  way.  Annabel." 

Coming  back  with  his  heart  in  a  tumult  of  rap 
ture,  he  found  his  partner  fast  asleep  and  even 
snoring. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


THE  FRISKY  YOUNGSTERS — TRYING  TO  LICK  A  BATCH 
OF  RECRUITS   INTO   SHAPE. 

FOR  awhile  the  tumult  of  thought  kept  Si 
awake,  but  he  was  too  young,  healthy,  and 
tired  for  this  to  last  long,  and  soon  he  had 
his  head  pillowed  on  his  blanket-roll,  placed  in  the 
open  car-window,  and  was  sleeping  too  sound  to  even 
dream  of  Annabel,  while  the  rushing  train  pelted 
his  face  with  cinders  from  the  engine  and  a  hail 
of  gravel  from  the  road-bed.  But  what  was  that  to 
a  soldier-boy  who  had  been  home,  seen  his  best  girl, 
and  had  one  of  his  mother's  square  meals  ? 

When  the  train  rolled  into  Jeffersonville  in  the 
afternoon,  they  saw  Lieut.  Bowersox  on  the  plat 
form  anxiously  waiting  for  them.  His  face  lighted 
up  with  pleasure  when  he  saw  them,  and  eagerly 
coming  forward  he  said: 

"Great  Cesar,  boys,  but  I'm  glad  you've  come. 
I've  been  waiting  for  you  all  day.  Rush  orders 
came  last  night  to  send  everybody  to  the  front.  I 
guess  they  are  in  need  of  every  gun  they  can  get. 
I  should  have  gone  last  night,  but  I  managed  to 
stave  off  my  orders  till  now.  If  you  hadn't  come 
on  this  train,  though,  I  should  've  had  to  go  on  with 
out  you.  Hurry  along,  now.  We  are  going  right 
across  the  river." 

Despite  the  Lieutenant's  urgency,  Si  found  time 


THE  FRISKY  YOUNGSTERS.  179 

to  hand  him  a  jar  of  honey  and  a  small  crock  of 
butter  from  their  home  supplies,  which  he  received 
with  proper  appreciation,  and  handed  over  to  the 
grinning  negro  boy  he  had  picked  up  somewhere  in 
Tennessee  for  a  servant.  They  followed  the  Lieuten 
ant  to  where  he  had  his  squad  of  about  100  recruits 
gathered.  He  said : 

"Here,  Klegg,  you  will  act  as  Orderly-Sergeant, 
and  Shorty  and  the  rest  of  you  as  Sergeants  of  this 
detachment.  Here  is  the  list  of  them,  Klegg.  Make 
up  a  roll  and  call  it  whenever  I  order  you  to  do  so." 

Si  took  the  list  and  looked  over  the  crowd.  They 
were  mainly  boys  of  about  the  same  age  and  style 
as  himself  when  he  first  enlisted,  but  he  thought 
he  had  never  seen  so  green,  gawky  a  lot  in  the  world. 
Like  him  then,  every  one  was  weighted  down  with 
a  bundle  of  things  that  would  evidently  be  con 
tributed  to  the  well-being  of  the  people  along  the 
line  of  march. 

It  seemed  to  him  that  they  stood  around  the  plat 
form  in  as  ugly  crookedness  as  a  lodgment  of  drift 
wood  on  a  Wabash  bottom  after  a  freshet. 

"Where  on  the  Wea  prairies,"  muttered  Shorty, 
"did  Old  Abe  pick  up  that  job  lot  o'  wind  shaken, 
lopsided  saplings?  Must've  bin  pulled  when  green 
and  warped  in  the  dryin'." 

"Well,  we've  got  to  git  'em  into  some  sort  o' 
shape,"  answered  Si.  "You  must  help." 

"I  help?"  returned  Shorty  despairingly.  "You'll 
need  a  West  Point  perfessor  and  a  hay-press  to  git 
that  crowd  into  soldier  shape.  I  ain't  once." 

"Here,  Sergeant,"  ordered  Lieut.  Bowersox,  "line 
the  men  up,  count  them,  learn  their  names,  and 


180  SI    KLEGG. 

give  them  a  little  preliminary  drill,  while  I  go  to 
Headquarters  and  see  the  Colonel  again  about  our 
transportation." 

"Fall  in,  boys ;  fall  in,"  commanded  Si. 

The  crowd  looked  at  him  curiously.  They  knew 
that  he  wanted  them  to  do  something,  they  were  will 
ing  to  do  it,  but  they  hadn't  the  slightest  idea  what 
it  was.  They  made  a  move  by  huddling  up  a  little 
toward  him. 

"Fall  in  in  two  ranks,  with  the  right  here,"  shout 
ed  Si. 

There  was  more  inconsequent  huddling,  which 
seemed  so  purposely  awkward  that  it  irritated  Si, 
and  he  spoke  sharply: 

"Gosh  all  Krismuss,  what's  the  matter  with  you 
lunkheads?  Don't  you  know  nothing?  You're 
dummer'n  a  lot  o'  steers." 

"Guess  we  know  'bout  as  much  as  you  did  when 
you  first  enlisted,"  said  the  smallest  of  the  lot,  a 
red-cheeked,  bright-eyed  boy,  who  looked  as  if  he 
should  have  been  standing  up  before  a  blackboard 
"doing  a  sum"  in  long  division,  instead  of  on  his 
way  to  the  field  of  strife.  "Show  us  how,  and  we'll 
learn  as  quick  as  you  did." 

Si  looked  at  the  fresh  young  boy.  There  was 
something  actually  girlish  in  his  face,  and  it  remind 
ed  him  of  Annabel.  His  heart  softened  toward  him 
at  once,  and  he  remembered  his  own  early  troubles. 
He  said  gently  to  the  boy: 

"You're  right.     What's  your  name,  my  boy?" 

"Abel  Waite." 

"Well,  Abel,  we'll  make  a  soldier  out  of  you  in  a 
little  while.  You  are  the  smallest;  you'll  be  the 


THE  FRISKY  YOUNGSTERS.  181 

left  of  the  line.  Go  and  stand  there  at  the  corner. 
Now,  boys,  all  lay  your  bundles  down.  Here,  you 
tall  fellow,  what's  your  name?" 

"James  Bradshaw." 

"Well,  Bradshaw,  you'll  be  the  right  of  the  line 
all  the  time,  and  the  rest  '11  form  on  you.  Come, 
stand  here." 

Bradshaw  shambled  forward  in  a  way  that  made 
Shorty  call  out: 

"Here,  Bradshaw,  wake  up !  You  ain't  now  foller- 
in'  a  plow  over  the  last  year's  corn-furrers. 
Straighten  up,  lift  them  mud-hooks  livelier  and  drop 
your  hands  to  your  side." 

The  man  stopped,  raised  his  hands,  and  looked 
at  Shorty  with  his  mouth  wide  open. 

"Come,  Bradshaw,"  said  Si  gently,  taking  hold  of 
him,  "I'll  show  you.  Now  you  stand  right  here. 
Put  your  heels  together.  Now  turn  your  toes  out. 
Throw  your  shoulders  back  this  way.  Close  your 
mouth.  Put  your  little  fingers  on  the  seams  of  your 
pantaloons  that  way.  Now  stand  just  so." 

The  poor  man  looked  as  miserable  as  if  put  in  a 
strait- jacket,  but  tried  to  literally  obey  instructions. 

"Now,  what's  your  name?"  Si  asked  the  next  tall 
est  man. 

"Simeon  Wheelwright." 

"Wheelwright,  you  stand  behind  Bradshaw,  just 
AS  he  does." 

A.nd  so  Si  went  painstakingly  through  the  whole 
squad  until  he  came  to  Abel  Waite,  whom  he  found 
did  not  need  any  instruction,  for  he  had  profited  by 
hearing  the  lectures  to  the  others,  and  was  standing 
as  stiff  and  correct  as  a  veteran  could  have  done. 


182  SI    KLEGG. 

"Great  outfit,"  remarked  Shorty,  walking  down 
the  line,  gun  in  hand,  and  surveying  it  critically. 
"Looks  like  a  mourners'  bench  froze  stiff.  Here, 
you  red-headed  man  there,  take  in  that  corporation. 
You  won't  have  so  much  bay  window  after  you've 
lived  on  army  rations  awhile." 

"Now,"  commanded  Si,  "when  I  say  'Count  twos 
from  the  right,'  I  want  you  to  begin  and  count.  The 
first  man — you,  Bradshaw — says  'one,'  and  the  next 
man  on  your  left  says  'two/  and  so  on.  The  men 
in  the  rear  rank  do  the  same.  Count  twos  from  the 
right— Count !" 

"One,  two;  four,  six;  seven,  nine;  ten,  'leven," 
shouted  the  boys,  in  all  manner  of  tones  and  general 
bewilderment. 

"Stop  it;  stop  it!"  yelled  Si,  his  temper  again 
rising.  "Great  day,  can't  you  fellers  understand 
plain  English  when  it's  talked  to  you?  What's  the 
matter  with  you,  anyway?  Here,  Bradshaw,  when 
I  give  the  order  to  count,  you  count  one.  Wheel 
wright,  you  count  one  at  the  same  time.  Williams 
and  Talbot,  you  each  count  two.  Then  Aldrich, 
you  and  Reynolds  count  one,  and  so  on." 

At  last  he  got  them  to  count  to  his  satisfaction, 
and  then  proceeded  to  the  next  lesson. 

"Now,  at  the  command  'right  face'  everybody  face 
to  the  right.  The  No.  1  men  in  the  front  rank  stand 
fast.  The  No.  1  men  in  the  rear  rank  take  a  side 
step  to  the  right.  The  No.  2  men  each  take  a  side 
step  to  the  right,  and  places  himself  on  the  right 
of  No.  1." 

"Great  Jehosephat,  Si,"  remonstrated  Shorty; 
"it'll  take  'em  a  month  to  learn  all  that." 


THE  FRISKY  YOUNGSTERS.  183 

"Don't  care  if  it  does,"  said  Si  desperately. 
"They've  got  to  learn  it  sometime,  and  they  can't 
learn  no  younger.  Might  as  well  begin  now  as  any 
time.  'Tention!  Right  face!" 

Si  had  hard  work  restraining  the  angry  words 
which  fumed  up  when  he  saw  the  execution  of  his 
command.  Only  a  few  had  turned  to  the  right. 
The  rest  had  either  stood  still,  turned  to  the  left 
or  were  turning  first  one  way  and  then  another, 
to  adjust  themselves  to  those  nearest  them. 

"Looks  like  a  political  primary  just  before  the 
vote's  called,"  remarked  Shorty.  "Better  git  red 
rags  to  tie  around  their  right  hands,  so's  they'll 
know  'em." 

"It'll  be  a  shame  to  take  them  across  the  Ohio 
Eiver  in  this  shape,"  said  Si  in  deep  vexation. 
"They'll  shoot  one  another's  heads  off  in  the  first 
fight,  if  they've  guns  in  their  hands." 

"Don't  worry,"  answered  Shorty  consolingly. 
"They'll  pick  it  up  mighty  fast  as  soon  as  they  see 
other  fellers  doing  it,  and  '11  be  in  purty  good  shape 
by  the  time  we  git  'em  to  the  regiment.  We  was 
just  as  green  as  they  are." 

Si  repressed  his  petulant  words  with  an  effort, 
and  started  in  to  give  them  an  ocular  demonstra 
tion  of  the  way  to  execute  "right  face,"  but  was  in 
terrupted  by  the  Lieutenant  coming  up  and  saying: 

"Here,  we've  got  to  move  right  out  to  catch  the 
ferryboat  and  the  train  on  the  other  side.  'Tention ! 
Pick  up  your  bundles.  Forward,  march!" 

Tactics  ,were  forgotten  in  a  go-as-you-please  rush 
on  to  the  ferryboat,  through  the  streets  of  Louisville, 
and  on  to  the  cars  for  Nashville.  Everybody  else 


184'  SI   KLEGG. 

was  doing  the  same.  The  boat  and  streets  were 
filled  and  the  depot  yard  packed  with  men  all  push 
ing  forward  for  the  "front."  While  Si,  walking 
alongside  the  Lieutenant,  led,  Shorty  and  the  rest 
of  the  detail  brought  up  the  rear.  After  they  had 
scrambled  into  the  old  freight  cars  and  stowed  them 
selves  away,  Si  looked  over  his  squad  and  counted  it. 

"Have  you  got  them  all  aboard,  Sergeant?"  in 
quired  Lieut.  Bowersox. 

"I've  got  the  right  number,  sir,"  Si  answered, 
saluting;  "and  if  they  ain't  all  the  same  men  they're 
just  as  good." 

"All  right,"  returned  the  officer.  "I  had  103  put 
in  my  charge  to  take  to  the  regiment,  and  103  men 
I  must  have  when  I  get  there." 

"You  shall  have  the  full  103,  Lieutenant,"  assured 
Shorty,  "if  we  have  to  snatch  in  a  native  or  two 
to  take  the  place  of  some  that  fall  through  the 
cracks." 

At  Nashville  the  crowd  and  confusion  were  exces 
sive;  detachments  of  men  of  all  kinds,  sorts  and 
conditions — armed  and  unarmed — recruits,  conva 
lescent  veterans,  men  coming  back  from  furlough, 
stragglers  under  guard,  squads  of  Quartermaster's 
employes,  gangs  of  railroad  laborers  and  bridge- 
builders  were  all  surging  around,  while  their  officers, 
superintendents,  foremen,  etc.,  shouted  themselves 
hoarse  in  trying  to  get  their  men  together  and  keep 
them  so.  When  Si  at  last  got  his  men  on  board,  and 
the  train  had  moved  out,  he  was  dismayed  to  find 
that  he  was  five  short. 

"They  was  lost  in  that  shufflle  back  there  in  the 


THE  FRISKY  YOUNGSTERS.  185 

depot,"  said  Shorty.  "Lucky  it  wa'n't  more.  Won 
der  that  we  ever  got  through  as  well  as  we  did." 

"What  in  the  world  am  I  going  to  do?"  inquired 
Si  dolefully.  "There's  no  use  sending  back  for 
them.  They've  probably  got  mixed  up  with  some 
other  squads,  and  gone  the  Lord  knows  where. 
They  haven't  sense  enough  to  find  their  regiment  in 
such  a  ruck  as  this." 

Si  counted  his  men  over  again,  with  no  better  re 
sult. 

"I've  got  an  idee,"  said  Shorty,  as  Si  came  up  to 
commune  again  with  him  as  to  the  misfortune.  "I 
noticed  five  mighty  lively  young  Irishmen  in  that 
bridge  gang  that's  on  the  rear  car,  and  I've  got  a 
pint  flash  of  whisky  that  some  fellow  was  green 
enough  to  lay  down  while  we  was  there  in  Nash 
ville.  I'm  goin'  back  to  that  car  on  recruitin'  duty." 

Si,  unable  to  think  of  anything  better,  went  with 
him.  The  train  had  stopped  on  a  switch,  and  seemed 
likely  to  rust  fast  to  the  rails,  from  the  way  other 
trains  were  going  by  in  both  directions.  The  bridge 
gang,  under  charge  of  a  burly,  red-faced  young  Eng 
lishman,  was  in  the  rear  car,  with  their  tools,  equip 
ments,  bedding  and  cooking  utensils. 

The  English  foreman  was  a  recent  arrival  in  the 
country.  This  was  his  first  employment  here.  Nat 
urally  surly  and  domineering,  these  qualities  were 
enhanced  by  potations  at  Nashville  and  since  leav 
ing. 

Si  and  Shorty  strolled  up  to  the  young  Irishmen, 
who  were  standing  on  the  ground  near  their  car. 
They  were  very  plainly  recent  arrivals,  for  they  still 
wore  the  characteristic  clothes  of  the  Emerald  Isle, 


186 


SI    KLEGG. 


and  after  a  little  conversation  with  them  Shorty  pro 
duced  his  bottle  and  offered  them  a  drink.    The  fore- 


THE   RECRUITS    LINED    UP   ON   THE    PLATFORM. 


man  had  watched  them  suspiciously,  and  he  came 
swaggering  up,  saying  insolently: 

"  'Ere,  you  bloomin'  sojer,  Hi  want  you  to  keep 
haway  from  my  men,  hand  not  be  a-givin'  them 


THE  FRISKY  YOUNGSTERS.  187 

drink.  You  stay  by  yourselves,  hand  Hi  won't  'ave 
'em  hinterfered  wi'  by  nobuddy." 

"Your  men,"  sneered  Shorty.  "You  talk  as  if 
they  was  niggers,  and  not  white  men.  Who  made 
'em  yours?" 

"Stow  yer  wid,  ye  bloody  blue-jack,"  returned  the 
foreman  contemptuously,  "hand  pull  ha  way  from 
here.  Hi  never  could  bear  sojers — blokes,  too  lazy 
to  work  hand  too  cowardly  to  steal.  Hike  out  o' 
here,  and  shut  you  'ead,  hif  you  know  w'at's  well 
for  you." 

"Shut  up  your  own  head,  you  British  blowhard," 
retorted  Shorty,  "and  mind  your  own  business. 
Wait  until  you  are  a  little  longer  in  the  country  be 
fore  you  try  to  run  it.  And  I  don't  want  no  more  o' 
your  slack.  If  you  don't  keep  a  civil  tongue  in  your 
head  I'll  make  you." 

The  Englishman  was  just  in  the  mood  to  be  sav 
agely  tickled  at  the  prospect  of  a  fight.  He  had  not 
had  a  good,  square  one  since  he  had  been  in  the 
country,  and  nothing  yet  had  offered  so  gratifying 
as  the  prospect  of  polishing  off  one  of  the  despised 
"Bamerican  sojers."  Several  of  the  hated  officers  had 
strolled  up,  attracted  by  the  high  words,  and  it  would 
be  an  additional  pleasure  to  thrash  one  of  their  men 
before  their  eyes,  in  revenge  for  the  slights  he  felt 
they  had  put  upon  him. 

"You  won't  fight,"  he  said  disdainfully,  "except 
with  a  gun  or  a  knife,  like  a  bloody  Dago.  Ye 
dassent  put  up  yer  'ands  like  a  man."" 

For  response,  Shorty  handed  his  cap,  his  gun,  his 
bottle,  his  blanket-roll,  his  belt  and  haversack  to 
Si,  rolled  up  his  sleeves,  spit  on  his  hands,  doubled 


188  SI    KLEGG. 

his  fists,  and  stepped  forward  into  a  boxing  attitude. 

"Balance  up  to  me,  you  beer-bloated  Britisher," 
he  exclaimed,  "and  git  naturalized  by  a  real  Star- 
Spangled  Banner  lickin'  by  an  artist  who  kin  comb 
down  any  man  that  owes  allegiance  to  Queen  Vic- 
toree.  Here's  a  Heenan  for  your  Tom  Sayers." 

The  Englishman  began  disrobing  with  an  alacrity 
that  showed  how  much  his  heart  was  in  it.  A  ring 
was  speedily  formed,  the  officers,  mainly  Lieutenants 
and  Captains,  eagerly  assisting,  while  keeping  their 
eyes  over  their  shoulders  to  see  that  no  one  of  much 
higher  rank  was  in  the  neighborhood. 

When  the  men  confronted  one  another  it  was  seen 
that  they  were  a  fairly-good  match.  The  English 
man  was  stouter  and  heavier;  he  showed  a  splendid 
forearm,  with  corresponding  swelling  muscles  near 
the  shoulders,  and  the  way  he  poised  himself  and 
put  up  his  hands  revealed  that  he  had  "science"  as 
well  as  strength  and  courage.  Shorty  was  taller  and 
more  spare,  but  he  was  quicker  and  had  the  longer 
reach.  It  looked  as  if  the  Englishman  had  the  ad 
vantage,  from  his  solid  strength  and  staying  power, 
as  well  as  "science."  But  those  who  looked  on 
Shorty  as  inferior  did  not  know  of  the  training  he 
had  received  among  the  turbulent  crews  of  the  Mis 
sissippi  River  boats.  A  man  who  had  summered 
and  wintered  with  that  fractious  race  had  little  to 
learn  in  any  trick  or  device  of  fighting. 

The  first  round  showed  that  both  were  past-mas 
ters  of  ring  tactics.  Their  wardings  and  layings  for 
openings  were  so  perfect  that  neither  could  get  a 
blow  in. 


THE  FRISKY  YOUNGSTERS.  189 

When  they  stopped  for  a  moment  to  breathe  the 
Englishman  said  with  frank  admiration: 

"Y're  a  heap  better  lot  than  Hi  thort  yer. 
Where'd  ye  learn  to  handle  yer  dukes?" 

"Never  mind  where  I  learned,"  answered  Shorty. 
"I  learned  enough  to  git  away  with  any  English 
man  that  ever  chawed  roast  beef." 

Again  they  closed,  and  sparred  quick  and  hard  for 
advantage,  but  neither  succeeded  in  getting  in  any 
thing  but  light,  ineffective  blows.  Each  realized 
that  the  other  was  a  dangerous  man  to  handle,  and 
each  kept  cool  and  watched  his  chances.  When  they 
took  another  second  to  breathe  the  Englishman  said : 

"I'm  goin'  to  settle  ye  this  time,  young  feller,  in 
spite  o'  yer  fibbin'.  Ye  peck  around  me  like  a  cock 
pickin'  up  corn,  but  I'll  bust  ye.  Look  hout  for  yer- 
self." 

He  made  a  savage  rush  to  break  through  Shorty's 
guard  by  main  force,  but  Shorty  evaded  him  by 
a  quick  movement,  the  Englishman  struck  his  toe 
against  a  piece  of  railroad  iron,  and  fell  to  his  knees. 
Shorty  had  him  at  his  mercy,  but  he  merely  stepped 
back  a  little  further,  and  waited  for  his  opponent 
to  rise  and  regain  his  position  before  he  again  ad 
vanced  to  the  attack. 

The  Englishman  lost  his  coolness.  Again  he 
rushed  savagely  at  Shorty,  with  less  care  in  his 
guard.  Shorty  evaded  his  mighty  blow,  and  reach 
ing  up  under  his  guard  struck  him  on  the  chin  so 
hard  that  the  Englishman  fell  like  an  ox. 

Shorty  took  him  by  the  hand  and  helped  him  to 
his  feet.  "Do  you  want  any  more?  Have  you  got 
enough?"  he  asked. 


190  SI    KLEGG. 

"Yes,  Hi've  got  enough,"  answered  the  English 
man.  "I'm  too  groggy  to  go  on.  Hi've  been  drink- 
in'  a  bit  too  much  to  'andle  myself  wi'  a  first-class 
man  like  yerself.  Y've  downed  me,  and  y've  downed 
me  fair,  for  Hi'm  not  the  man  to  whimper  about 
not  being  fit.  There's  my  hand.  We're  friends. 
We'll  try  hit  again  some  day,  when  Hi've  got  the 
likker  out  o'  me;  won't  we?" 

"Certainly,  whenever  you  like,"  said  Shorty,  shak 
ing  hands  with  him. 

"Say,  cul,"  said  the  Englishman,  in  the  friendliest 
sort  of  way,  "w'at  was  ye  wantin'  around  among 
my  men?" 

"To  tell  you  the  truth,"  answered  Shorty,  "I  was 
after  them  to  enlist  with  us.  We  lost  five  men  in 
the  shuffle  at  Nashville,  and  I  was  lookin'  out  for 
some  to  take  their  places. 

"That's  w'at  I  thort,"  said  the  Englishman. 
"That's  w'at  I  was  afraid  of.  The  'ead  bridge  man 
'as  bin  preachin'  to  me  ever  since  'e  'ired  me,  hand 
we  made  hup  the  gang  in  New  York,  to  look  hout 
hand  keep  my  men  from  bein'  enlisted.  Say,  young 
ster,  his  yours  a  good  regiment?" 

"The  very  best  in  the  army,"  unhesitatingly  as 
serted  Shorty.  "All  free-born  American  citizens, 
and  high-toned  gentlemen.  I  tell  you,  they're  daisies, 
they  are." 

"Hi  don't  'know,"  said  the  Englishman  medita 
tively,  "but  Hi'd  like  to  see  a  little  bit  o'  fightin' 
myself.  Bridge  buildin's  'eavy,  'ard  work,  and  Hi 
wouldn'  mind  sojerin'  a  little  while  for  a  change." 

"Come  right  along  with  me  and  this  man,"  said 
Shorty  catching  on.  "You'll  see  the  purtiest  fighting 


KEYED     UP     FOR    ACTION.  191 

to  be  found  anywhere  in  the  army,  for  the  200th 
Injianny  kin  do  it  up  to  the  Queen's  taste.  And  we'll 
treat  you  white.  A  better  set  o'  boys  never  lived." 

"Hi'll  do  hit,"  said  the  Englishman  decidedly. 

"Mebbe,"  suggested  Shorty,  remembering  that  this 
would  still  leave  them  four  short,  "some  o'  your 
gang'd  like  to  come  along  with  you." 

"Some  o'  them,"  said  the  Englishman  earnestly. 
"Hevery  bloomin'  one  o'  them  'as  got  to  go.  They've 
got  to  volunteer.  Hif  Hi  find  hany  cowardly  bloke 
that'd  rather  be  a  beastly  bridge-builder  than  a  gen 
tleman  and  a  sojer,  I'll  pound  'is  'ead  offen  'im. 
They'll  all  volunteer,  I  tell  ye,  w'en  Hi  speak  to  'em." 

Si  had  been  quietly  talking  to  the  rest  of  the  gang 
while  this  conversation  was  going  on,  and  discovered 
a  general  willingness  to  exchange  mechanical  pur 
suits  for  those  of  a  more  martial  character,  and  so 
when  they  left  the  train  at  Chattanooga,  Lieut.  Bow- 
ersox  marched  at  the  head  of  130  recruits,  instead 
of  the  103  with  whom  he  had  crossed  the  Ohio  River. 


CHAPTER   XV. 


KEYED  UP  FOR  ACTION — MARCHING  INTO  THE  BATTLE 
OF  CHICKAMAUGA. 

ALL  of  that  eventful  19th  of  September,  1864, 
the  men  of  Lieut.  Bowersox's  detachment 
were  keyed  up  with  the  knowledge  that  they 
were  heading  straight  for  a  desperate  battle,  and  the 
main  fear  with  Si,  Shorty  and  the  great  majority 
was  that  they  would  not  reach  the  field  in  time  to 
take  a  hand  in  the  affray.  It  seemed  that  never 
ran  a  locomotive  at  such  a  snail's  pace  as  their  en 
gine  was  compelled  to  do  over  the  wretched  road 
bed  and  improvised  bridges.  The  engineer,  stimu 
lated  by  the  excitement  and  the  urgent  messages 
at  every  station,  was  doing  his  very  best,  but  his 
engine  was  ditched  once  and  narrowly  escaped  it  a 
hundred  times.  The  only  curb  to  their  impatience 
was  the  absolute  knowledge  that  an  attempt  at  faster 
running  would  result  in  not  getting  there  in  time  at 
all. 

At  every  stopping  place  news  from  the  front  was 
eagerly  sought  for  and  canvassed.  It  was  at  all 
times  aggressively  meager.  All  that  could  be  learned 
was  that  the  whole  rebel  army  was  out  on  the 
Chickamauga  some  miles  from  Chattanooga,  and 
savagely  attacking  the  Union  army  to  drive  it  away 
and  recapture  the  town. 

The  news  was  generally  very  encouraging.    Every 


KEYED  UP  FOR  ACTION.  193 

attack  of  the  rebels  had  been  repulsed,  though  our 
own  loss  had  been  heavy.  But  every  man  was  need 
ed.  The  rebel  lines  extended  far  beyond  those  of 
the  Union  army  in  each  direction,  and  still  they  had 
enough  for  heavy  assaulting  columns.  Everybody 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Chattanooga  had  been  or 
dered  up,  leaving  only  the  meagerest  possible  guards 
for  the  trans  and  communications. 

This  increased  the  burning  impatience  of  the  boys 
to  get  where  they  could  be  of  service.  But  it  was 
far  into  the  night  when  they  finally  skirted  the 
frowning  palisades  of  Lookout  Mountain,  and  went 
into  bivouac  on  the  banks  of  Chattanooga  Creek. 
All  of  the  squad  wanted  guns,  and  Si  and  Shorty 
had  been  desperately  anxious  to  get  them  for  them. 

At  the  stopping  places  were  squads  of  guards,  men 
more  or  less  sick,  and  men  on  detached  duty.  Where- 
ever  Si  or  Shorty's  sharp  search  could  find  a  gun 
not  actually  in  use,  or  not  likely  to  be,  it  was  pretty 
sure,  by  some  means  or  other,  either  openly  or  sur 
reptitiously,  to  be  gotten  into  the  hands  of  one  of  the 
squad.  In  this  way,  by  the  time  they  arrived  at 
Chattanooga,  they  had  nearly  half  their  men  armed, 
and  had  given  them  some  preliminary  instruction 
in  handling  their  guns.  The  Indianians  needed  little 
so  far  as  loading  and  firing,  for  they  were  all  nat 
ural  marksmen,  but  to  the  Englishman  and  his  Irish 
squad  the  musket  was  a  thing  of  mystery  and  dread. 

"An*  is  that  the  goon  for  me?"  said  one  of  the 
Irishmen  contemptuously,  as  Si  proudly  handed  him 
a  trusty  Springfield  he  had  found  unwatched  some 
where.  "That  fool  thing  wid  a  bore  no  bigger'n  a 
gimlet  hole?  Fwhy,  out  in  the  ould  country,  fwhen 


194  SI    KLEGG. 

we  go  man-hunting,  we  take  a  goon  wid  a  mouth  like 
a  funnel,  that  ye  can  put  a  hat  full  av  balls  inter. 
To  the  divil  wid  such  a  goon  as  this." 

"Fix  your  mind  on  learnin'  the  kinks  o'  that 
gun,  Barney,"  advised  Shorty.  "One  ball  from  it 
put  in  the  right  place  '11  do  more  than  a  hat  full 
from  your  old  Irish  blunderbuss.  A  man  that  gits 
only  one  from  it  won't  need  nothin'  more'n  a  head 
stone  and  his  name  crossed  oifen  the  roster.  Git  a 
good  squint  at  him  through  them  sights,  jest  be 
low  his  belt,  hold  stiddy  while  you  pull  the  trigger, 
and  his  name  '11  be  mud." 

"But  fwhere  is  the  powdher  to  make  the  ball  go?" 
persisted  Barney,  looking  at  the  cartridge  which 
Shorty  had  put  in  his  hand. 

"The  powder  is  behind  the  ball  in  that  paper  bag," 
explained  Shorty.  "You  tear  the  paper  with  your 
teeth  this  way,  and  pour  the  powder  into  the  muzzle." 

"Fhat,"  said  Barney  contemptuously,  surveying 
the  cartridge.  There  isn't  enough  powdher  there  to 
throw  a  ball  as  far  as  Oi  can  a  pebble.  Fwhy,  Oi 
used  to  put  a  whole  handful  o'  powdher  in  the  old 
blunderbuss.  Oi  wud  do  betther  to  whack  a  man 
wid  a  shillelah.  And  fwhere  is  the  flint  to  stroike 
foire?" 

"0,  the  flintlock's  played  out,  you  flannel-mouthed 
Irishman,"  said  Shorty  irritably.  "It's  as  out-of- 
date  as  a  bow  and  arrer.  This's  a  percussion-lock; 
don't  you  understand?  This  is  a  cap.  You  stick  it 
right  on  this  nipple,  an'  when  the  hammer  goes 
down  off  goes  your  gun.  Don't  you  see?" 

"Well,  you  can  say,  maybe,  an'  maybe  you  can't 
But  Oi  can't.  Take  your  old  goon.  Oi'll  none  avit. 


KEYED     UP     FOR     ACTION.  195 

May  the  divil  fly  away  wid  it,  an'  wid  you,  too. 
Oi'd  rather  have  a  good  shtick.  Wid  a  shtick  in  me 
fist  Oi'll  take  care  of  ony  spalpeen  fwhat'll  stand  up 
in  front  av  me.  But  wid  a  fool  goon  loike  that 
Oi'd  be  kilt  at  wance." 

While  Si  and  Shorty  were  still  worrying  about 
what  to  do  for  arms  for  the  remainder  of  their  men, 
they  heard  what  seemed  to  be  about  a  company 
marching  toward  them  through  the  darkness. 

"I  suppose  we  had  better  stop  here  and  stack 
our  arms  out  of  the  way,"  they  heard  the  officer 
say  who  seemed  to  be  in  command.  "We've  got  an 
all-night's  job  before  us,  fixing  up  that  bridge,  and 
getting  those  wagons  across.  Stack  arms,  boys,  and 
leave  your  belts  and  traps  with  them.  There's  lots 
of  work  down  there  for  us." 

They  could  see  dimly  the  men  obeying  the  orders, 
and  going  down  the  bank  of  the  creek,  where  they 
started  large  fires  to  light  them  at  their  work. 

"They  have  got  a  job  ahead  of  'em,"  remarked 
Shorty,  looking  in  the  direction  of  the  fires. 

"It'll  take  'em  all  night  and  a  large  part  o'  to 
morrow,"  said  Si,  significantly,  as  a  thought  entered 
his  mind. 

"Indeed  it  will,"  accorded  Shorty,  as  the  same  idea 
occurred  to  him.  "An'  they  won't  need  their  guns. 
They're  only  pioneers,  anyway." 

"If  they  do,"  chimed  in  Si,  "they  kin  pick  up 
plenty  more  just  as  good  around  somewhere,  when 
daylight  comes.  That's  what  pioneers  is  for." 

"Si,  you  ketch  on  like  a  he  snappin'  turtle,"  said 
Shorty  joyfully.  "We'll  jest  help  ourselves  to  them 
guns  and  cartridge-boxes,  and  then  move  our  camp 


196  SI    KLEGG. 

over  a  little  ways,  and  skeet  out  airly  in  the  mornin' 
for  the  front,  and  we'll  be  all  right.  Don't  say 
nothin'  to  the  Lieutenant  about  it.  He'll  be  all  right, 
and  approve  of  it,  but  he  mustn't  know  anything  of 
it  officially.  You  git  the  men  up  and  I'll  go  over 
and  give  the  Lieutenant  the  wink  and  tell  him  that 
we've  found  a  much  better  bivouac  about  a  mile 
further  on." 

While  the  pioneers  were  struggling  with  their 
task,  and  the  air  down  by  the  creek  was  filled  with 
shouts  and  commands,  Si  and  Shorty,  with  some  of 
the  others,  quietly  appropriated  enough  stands  of 
arms  to  complete  the  equipment  of  their  squad. 

Shorty  took  much  credit  for  his  honesty  and  for 
bearance  that  he  did  not  touch  a  single  one  of  the 
pioneers'  belongings  but  their  arms.  A  little  later 
the  squad  was  in  bivouac  a  mile  away. 

At  the  earliest  dawn  of  Sept.  20  they  were  awake, 
and  after  a  hasty  breakfast  moving  out  the  Ross- 
ville  road  for  the  battlefield.  Only  an  occasional 
shot  from  a  nervous  picket,  peering  into  the  deep 
fog,  or  angry  spatter  from  a  squad  of  scouting  cav 
alry  disturbed  the  stillness  of  the  beautiful  Autumn 
morning.  The  bright  rays  of  the  level  sun  were 
bringing  out  the  rich  tints  of  the  maples  and  dog 
woods  on  the  mountain-sides  in  all  their  gorgeous 
richness.  Nature  was  smiling  so  benignantly  on 
every  side  that  it  needed  the  turmoil  and  rush  in 
the  winding  roads  to  remind  one  that  somewhere 
near  men  were  in  bitter  contrast  with  her  divine 
serenity.  But  the  roads  were  crowded  with  am 
munition  and  ration  wagons  pushing  out  to  the 
front,  and  with  mounted  officers  and  Orderlies  mak- 


KEYED     UP     FOR    ACTION. 


197 


ing  their  way  as  rapidly  as  possible  back  and  for 
ward  with  orders  and  messages. 

Lieut.  Bowersox  left  the  road  with  his  detachment 
and  made  his  way  across  the  fields,  over  ditches, 


THEY  POSTED  THE  MEN  BEHIND  THE  TREES. 

ravines  and  creeks,  through  the  thickets  and  the 
brush,  and  at  last  came  out  on  top  of  Missionary 
Ridge  at  the  north  side-  of  Rossville  Gap. 

With  eager  eyes  they  scanned  the  landscape  of 
billowy  mountains  and  hills  to  the  east  and  south. 


198  SI    KLEGG. 

A  fog  obscured  all  the  lowlands,  but  far  out  columns 
of  thin  smoke  rising  lazily  on  the  still  air  showed 
where  150,000  men  were  marshaling  for  bloody  con 
flict. 

"That  Major  I  spoke  to,"  said  Lieut.  Bowersox, 
as  Si  and  Shorty  looked  anxiously  in  his  face,  "is  on 
the  corps  staff,  and  he  says  the  whole  infernal  South 
ern  Confederacy  is  out  there  for  blood.  They 
jumped  us  yesterday  like  a  pack  of  famished  wolves. 
But  Rosecrans  had  just  got  his  army  together  in 
time,  though  some  of  the  divisions  had  to  march  till 
their  tongues  were  hanging  out.  All  the  boys  were 
dead  game,  though,  and  they  stood  the  rebels  off 
everywhere  in  great  shape.  He  hasn't  the  faintest 
idea  where  the  200th  Ind.  is.  The  divisions  and 
brigades  have  been  jumped  around  from  one  end 
of  the  line  to  the  other  till  he  has  but  little  more 
idea  where  any  regiment  is  than  if  it  was  in  the 
moon.  The  only  way  for  us  is  to  make  our  way  as 
fast  as  we  can  to  the  front,  where  they  need  every 
man,  and  trust  to  luck  to  find  the  regiment.  We'll 
probably  not  find  it,  but  we'll  find  a  place  where  they 
need  us  badly." 

"Le's  go  ahead,  then,"  said  Si  firmly,  "as  fast  as 
we  can.  We'd  much  rather  be  with  the  regiment, 
but  we'll  take  whatever  comes  wherever  it  comes, 
and  do  our  level  best." 

"I  know  you  will,  Sergeant,"  answered  the  Lieu 
tenant.  "Take  another  look  over  your  men.  See 
that  they've  all  cartridges,  and  caution  them  to  keep 
cool,  stay  together,  whatever- happens,  and  listen  to 
orders." 

Si  felt  a  new  and  keener  solicitude  than  he  had 


KEYED    UP    FOR    ACTION.  199 

ever  before  experienced.  Hitherto  his  only  thoughts 
were  as  to  his  own  safety  and  to  do  himself  credit 
in  the  discharge  of  his  duty.  Now  he  felt  a  heavy 
responsibility  for  every  man  in  the  detachment. 

He  walked  slowly  down  the  front  of  the  line,  and 
looked  into  every  man's  face.  They  appeared  anx 
ious  but  resolute.  The  face  of  Wat  Burnham,  the 
Englishman,  had  settled  into  more  of  a  bull-dog  look 
than  ever.  The  Irishmen  seemed  eager.  Abel 
Waite,  the  boy  on  the  left,  wa?  as  excited  as  if  a 
game  of  foot-ball  was  to  come  off.  He  called  out : 

"Say,  Sergeant,  I  hain't  got  but  10  cartridges. 
Will  that  be  enough?" 

"It'll  have  to  be  enough  for  the  present,"  answered 
Si.  "Be  careful  of  'em.  Don't  waste  none.  Be 
sure  o'  your  man,  aim  low,  git  under  his  belt,  an' 
be  careful  to  ketch  your  hind-sight  before  you  pull 
the  trigger.  If  we  need  more  cartridges  we'll  have 
to  find  more  somewhere." 

From  away  beyond  the  green  and  yellow  waves  of 
hills  came  the  crash  of  the  reopened  battle.  The 
ripping  noise  of  regiments  firing  by  volley  was 
hoarsely  punctuated  by  the  deep  boom  of  the  field- 
pieces. 

"Attention,  company!  Forward — March!"  shout 
ed  Lieut.  Bowersox. 

They  swept  down  the  mountain-side,  over  the 
next  eminence,  and  so  onward.  At  every  crest  that 
they  raised  the  uproar  of  the  battle  became  louder, 
the  crash  of  musketry  and  the  thunder  of  the  can 
non  more  continuous.  The  roads  were  so  filled  with 
teams  being  urged  forward  or  backward  that  they 
could  not  follow  them,  but  had  to  make  their  way 


200  SI    KLEGG. 

through  the  woods  and  occasional  fields,  only  keep 
ing  such  direction  as  would  bring  them  quickest 
to  some  part  of  the  stormy  firing-line. 

The  Lieutenant  and  Si  and  Shorty  tried  to  make 
themselves  believe  that  the  noise  was  receding,  show 
ing  that  the  rebels  were  being  driven.  At  times  it 
certainly  was  so,  and  then  again  it  would  burst  out, 

"Nearer,  clearer,  deadlier  than  before," 
and  their  hearts  would  sink  again.  A  little  past 
noon  they  came  upon  a  hight,  and  there  met  a  sight 
which,  for  the  moment,  froze  their  blood.  To  their 
right  front  the  whole  country  was  filled  with  men 
flying  in  the  wildest  confusion.  All  semblance  of 
regimental  order  was  lost  in  the  awful  turmoil. 
Cannon,  sometimes  drawn  by  two  or  three  horses, 
sometimes  by  only  one,  were  plunging  around  amid 
the  mob  of  infantrymen.  Mounted  officers  were 
wildly  galloping  in  all  directions.  Colors  were  car 
ried  to  crests  and  ridges,  and  for  a  moment  groups 
of  men  would  gather  around  them,  only  to  melt  again 
into  the  mob  of  fugitives.  From  far  behind  came 
the  yells  of  the  exultant  rebels,  and  a  storm  of  shot 
and  shell  into  the  disorganized  mass. 

The  boys'  hearts  sickened  with  the  thought  that 
the  whole  army  was  in  utter  rout.  For  a  minute 
or  two  they  surveyed  the  appalling  sight  in  speech 
less  despair.  Then  a  gleam  of  hope  shot  into  Si's 
mind. 

"Listen,"  he  said;  "the  firing  is  heavier  than  ever 
over  there  toward  the  center  and  left,  and  you  can 
see  that  men  are  goin'  up  instid  o'  runnin'  away. 
It's  Stone  River  over  again.  McCook's  bin  knocked 
to  pieces,  just  as  he  always  is,  but  old  Pap  Thomas 


KEYED    UP    FOR    ACTION.  201 

is  standing  there  like  a  lion,  just  as  he  did  at  Stone 
River,  and  he's  holding  Crittenden  with  him." 

"You're  right,  Si,"  shouted  the  Lieutenant  and 
Shorty.  "Hip,  hip,  hooray  for  the  Army  o'  the  Cum 
berland  and  old  Pap  Thomas!" 

They  deflected  to  the  left,  so  as  to  avoid  being 
tangled  up  in  the  mass  of  fugitives,  and  pushed  for 
ward  more  determinedly,  if  possible,  than  ever. 
They  kept  edging  to  the  right,  for  they  wanted  to 
reach  Thomas's  right  as  nearly  as  possible,  as  that 
was  the  natural  position  of  their  regiment. 

Presently,  on  mounting  a  roll  of  the  ground,  they 
saw  sloping  down  from  them  a  few  rods  away, 
and  running  obliquely  to  their  right,  a  small  "dead 
ening,"  made  by  the  shiftless  farmer  for  his  scanty 
corn  crop.  A  mob  of  fugitives  flying  through  had 
trampled  the  stalks  to  the  ground.  Si  and  Shorty 
had  seen  some  of  them  and  yelled  at  them  to  come 
up  and  form  on  them,  but  the  skedaddlers  either 
would  not  or  could  not  hear. 

Beyond  the  "deadening"  came  a  horde  of  pursuing 
rebels,  firing  and  yelling  like  demons.  The  sight 
and  sound  swelled  the  boys'  hearts  with  the  rage 
of  battle. 

"Lieutenant,"  suggested  Si,  "there's  no  need  o' 
goin'  any  further  just  now  for  a  fight.  We  can 
have  just  as  nice  a  one  right  here  as  we  can  find 
anywhere.  I  move  that  we  line  up  back  here  and 
wait  for  them  rebels  to  come  on,  an'  then  git  'em 
on  the  flank  with  an  enfilade  that'll  salivate  'em  in 
a  holy  minute." 

•  "The  same  idea  has  occurred  to  me,"  said  the 
Lieutenant;   "though   I've   felt   all   along   that   we 


202  SI   KLEGG. 

should  not  be  diverted  by  anything  from  making 
our  way  as  fast  as  possible  up  to  the  main  line. 
What  do  you.  think,  Shorty?" 

"My  idee  is  to  down  a  rebel  whenever  you  git  a 
go'od  chance,"  said  Shorty.  "  'Do  the  work  nearest 
thy  hand,'  I  once  heard  an  old  preacher  say.  Le's 
jump  these  hounds  right  here." 

"All  right,"  assented  the  Lieutenant  quite  will 
ingly.  "Form  the  men  just  back  of  the  edge  of  the 
woods.  Keep  them  out  of  sight,  and  caution  them 
not  to  shoot  till  they  get  the  order.  We  must  wait 
till  we  get  the  rebels  just  right." 

Si  and  Shorty  hurriedly  posted  the  men  behind 
trees  and  rocks,  cautioned  them  to  wait  for  orders, 
and  fire  low,  and  then  stationed  themselves,  one  at 
the  right,  and  the  other  at  the  left  of  the  irregular 
line.  They  had  scarcely  done  so  when  the  rebels 
came  surging  through  the  "deadening"  in  a  torrent. 
They  were  urged  on  by  two  mounted  officers  wear 
ing  respectively  the  silver  stars  of  a  Colonel  and 
a  Major. 

"The  feller  on  the  bay  hoss's  my  meat,"  shouted 
Shorty  from  the  left. 

"All  right,"  answered  Si.  "I'll  take  the  chap  on 
the  roan." 

"Wait  a  little,"  cautioned  the  Lieutenant.  "We'll 
get  more  of  them  if  you  do.  Now,  let  them  have  it. 
Ready— Aim— FIRE !" 

Down  went  the  Colenel  and  Major  and  fully  50 
of  their  men.  The  Indiana  recruits  might  be  green 
as  to  tactics,  but  they  knew  how  to  level  a  gun. 

The  startled  rebels  ceased  yelling,  and  looked 
around  in  amazement  in  the  direction  whence  the 


KEYED    UP    FOR   ACTION.  203 

unexpected  fire  came.  A  few  began  firing  that  way, 
but  the  majority  started  to  run  back  across  the 
"deadening"  to  the  sheltering  woods.  Groups  gath 
ered  around  the  fallen  officers  to  carry  them  back. 

"Load  as  fast  as  you  can,  boys,"  commanded  the 
Lieutenant.  "That  was  a  good  one.  Give  them  an 
other." 

The  young  Irishmen  were  wild  with  excitement, 
and  wanted  to  rush  down  and  club  the  rebels,  but 
the  Lieutenant  restrained  them,  though  he  could  not 
get  them  to  reload  their  guns.  As  Si  was  bringing 
down  his  gun  he  noticed  the  Englishman  aiming 
at  the  groups  about  the  officers. 

"Don't  shoot  them.  Fire  at  the  others,"  Si  called 
out,  while  he  himself  aimed  at  a  man  who  was  try 
ing  to  rally  his  comrades. 

"W'y  the  bloody  'ell  shouldn't  Hi  shoot  them  the 
same  has  the  hothers?"  snarled  the  Englishman, 
firing  into  the  group.  "They're  all  bloody  rebels." 

By  the  time  the  second  round  was  fired  the  "dead 
ening"  was  clear  of  all  the  rebels  but  those  who  had 
been  struck.  The  others  were  re-forming  on  the 
knoll  beyond,  and  a  field-piece  was  hurried  up  to 
their  assistance,  which  threw  a  shell  over  at  the  line. 

"We  had  better  move  off,"  said  the  Lieutenant. 
"They're  forming  out  there  to  take  us  in  flank,  and 
we  can't  hold  them  back.  We  have  done  all  that  we 
can  here,  and  a  mighty  good  job,  too.  We  have 
saved  a  lot  of  our  men  and  salted  a  good  bagful 
of  rebels.  Attention !  File  left— March !" 

"That  was  a  mighty  good  introduction  for  the 
boys,"  said  Si  to  Shorty  as  they  moved  on  through 
the  woods.  "They  begin  to  see  how  the  thing's  done ; 


204  SI    KLEGG. 

and  didn't  they  act  splendidly?  I'm  proud  of  In- 
jianny." 

"Sergeant,  didn't  I  do  well  ?"  asked  Abel  Waite,  in 
the  tone  that  he  would  have  inquired  of  his  teacher 
about  a  recitation.  "I  done  just  as  you  told  me. 
I  kep'  my  eye  on  the  tall  feller  in  front,  who  was 
wavin'  his  gun  and  yellin'  at  the  rest  to  come  on.  I 
aimed  just  below  his  belt,  an'  he  went  down  just 
like  I've  seen  a  beef  when  pap  shot  him." 

"Good  boy,"  said  Si,  patting  him  on  the  shoul 
der.  "You're  a  soldier  already." 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


THE   TERRIFIC  STRUGGLE  —  THE   END   OF   THE   BATTLE 
OF  CHICKAMAUGA. 

LIEUT.  Bowersox,  Si,  Shorty  and  the  recruits 
left  the  woods  and  entered  a  large  clearing, 
in  the  midst  of  which  was  a  log  cabin,  with 
a  few  rude  outbuildings.  Over  it  flew  the  yellow 
flag  of  the  hospital  service,  and  beyond  could  be 
seen  the  parked  trains  and  other  evidences  of  the 
line-of-battle. 

The  roar  of  the  battle  would  have  told  them  as 
much,  for  it  was  now  deafening.  The  earth  seemed 
to  throb  and  the  trees  shake  with  the  awful  shocks. 
As  they  passed  the  hospital  they  saw  a  grewsome 
pile  of  amputated  legs  and  arms,  while  the  ground 
around  about  was  filled  with  wounded,  whose  groans 
pierced  through  the  roar  of  battle. 

James  Bradshaw  and  Simeon  Wheelwright,  the 
two  tall,  stalwart  men  who  had  stood  on  the  right 
and  who  had  shown  great  coolness  during  the  fight, 
gave  one  look  at  the  dismembered  limbs,  turned 
pale  as  death,  gasped,  and  fell  in  a  faint. 

"Forward!  Can't  stop  to  pay  attention  to  them," 
commanded  the  Lieutenant,  in  whom  the  battle- 
fever  was  burning. 

Though  still  more  than  two  miles  from  the  low 
crest  of  Snodgrass  Hill,  where  Gen.  Thomas,  with 
the  remainder  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland,  was 


206  SI    KLEGG. 

standing  savagely  at  bay  against  the  fierce  assaults 
of  Bragg's  and  Longstreet's  overwhelming  num 
bers,  they  were  soon  in  the  midst  of  the  wild  ruck 
and  confusion  of  the  rear  of  a  great  battle.  Miles 
of  wagons  were  being  urged  hither  and  yon,  some 
times  in  accordance  with  intelligent  orders  by  offi 
cers,  more  often  from  the  panicky  fears  of  wagon- 
masters  and  teamsters ;  riderless  horses  with  saddles 
under  their  bellies  were  galloping  frantically  around ; 
sjquads  of  artillerymen  in  search  of  ammunition  were 
storming  about,  cursing  cowardly  teamsters,  whom 
they  could  not  find;  streams  of  wounded  men  were 
trying  to  make  their  way  to  the  hospitals;  officers 
were  yelling  and  swearing  in  their  attempts  to  rally 
shirks  and  cowards  who  had  fled  from  the  front; 
men  from  regiments  which  had  been  broken  and 
scattered  by  the  fierce  assaults  were  trying  to  find 
their  colors;  Colonels  whose  regiments  had  been  or 
dered  up  from  the  rear  were  fiercely  forcing  their 
way  forward,  with  many  dire  objurgations  on  all 
who  impeded  their  progress. 

It  was  a  scene  to  discourage  any  but  the  stoutest 
heart,  yet  it  only  wrought  up  the  boys  to  greater 
eagerness  to  get  through  to  the  firing-line. 

The  smoke-crowned  crest  of  Snodgrass  Hill  was 
seen  but  half  a  mile  away.  They  could  make  out 
the  ragged,  irregular  line  of  blue  constantly  vailing 
itself  in  sulphurous  vapor  as  it  poured  murderous 
volleys  into  the  enemy.  The  shrill  yell  of  the  rebels 
as  they  renewed  the  charge,  and  the  deep-toned 
cheer  of  the  Union  soldiers  as  they  repulsed  it, 
reached  their  ears  in  the  momentary  lulls  of  the 
firing. 


THE  TERRIFIC  STRUGGLE.  207 

So  far,  in  spite  of  all  deterrents,  they  had  brought 
every  man  through  except  the  two  who  had  fainted 
at  the  hospital.  Everyone  had  shown  true  metal. 
Little  Abel  Waite  had  particularly  distinguished  him 
self  by  skillful  dodging  under  wagons  and  past 
flanks,  in  order  to  keep  up  with  the  swift  pace  of 
the  longer-legged  men. 

They  had  as  yet  found  no  one  in  all  the  throng 
to  give  them  the  least  information  as  to  their  regi 
ment,  when  Si  spied  a  member  of  Co.  Q  walkirig 
deliberately  back,  holding  the  wrist  of  his  shattered 
left  hand  in  his  right,  with  his  fingers  compressing 
the  artery  to  restrain  the  flow  of  blood. 

"There's  Silas  Peckham,"  exclaimed  Si,  running 
up  to  him.  "Badly  hurt,  Sile?" 

"No,"  answered  Silas,  more  coolly  than  if  he  had 
stubbed  his  toe.  "Left  hand's  gone  on  a  strike. 
That's  all.  Wisht  I  could  find  a  doctor  to  fix  it  up 
so  I  could  git  back  to  the  boys.  They're  havin'  an 
awful  tussle  up  there,  an'  need  me  bad.  Better  hurry 
up,  Si.  Don't  waste  no  time  on  me.  I'll  find  a 
doctor  soon  an'  be  back  with  you." 

"Where's  the  regiment,  Sile?"  asked  the  Lieuten 
ant. 

"Right  up  there  to  the  left  o'  them  tall  hickories," 
answered  Silas,  pointing  with  his  bloody  hand.  "To 
the  right  o'  that  battery,  you  see  there.  That's  our 
bully  old  battery  at  work.  Greatest  battery  in  the 
army.  I've  kept  my  eye  on  the  place,  because  I 
want  to  git  back  as  soon's  I  kin  find  the  Surgeon. 
Ain't  much  left  o'  the  regiment,  or  battery  either, 
for  that  matter;  but  they're  raisin'  hell  with  the 


208  SI   KLEGG. 

Johnnies  every  time,  and  don't  you  forgit  it.  Capt. 
McGillicuddy's  in  command." 

"Capt.  McGillicuddy?"  said  the  Lieutenant.  "Why, 
he's  the  junior  Captain  in  the  regiment." 

"He  was  yisterday  mornin',  but  he's  now  senior  to 
everybody  that's  alive,"  answered  Silas.  "The  Kun- 
nel  wuz  killed  yisterday  forenoon.  The  Lootenant- 
Kunnell  held  out  about  three  hours  an'  then  he 
got  it  for  keeps,  an'  the  Major  tuck  command  an' 
stuck  out  till  nigh  evenin',  when  they  knocked  him. 

"This  mornin'  the  Captains  's  bin  going  down  so 
fast  that  I  couldn't  keep  track  of  'em,  till  Capt. 
McGillicuddy  was  the  only  one  left,  an'  he's  swearin' 
that  the  rebels  never  run  no  bullet  that  could  hit 
him.  The  Adjutant's  acting  Lootenant-Kunnel  an' 
Major  both  to-wunst,  and  shootin'  a  gun  when  he 
hain't  nothin'  else  to  do.  But  the  boys  that's  left 
's  stayers,  I  tell  you.  They've  jest  stuck  their  toe- 
nails  into  that  hilltop  there,  an'  every  time  them 
howlin'  rebels  come  yippin'  an'  ki-yi-in'  out  o'  the 
woods  they  send  'em  back  on  the  dead  run.  But  they 
want  you  up  there  bad.  You've  got  more  than's 
left  in  the  regiment.  Hurry  up.  I'll  be  back  with 
you  jest  as  soon's  I  kin  find  a  doctor  to  cooper  me 
up  a  little." 

"Forward  —  Quick  time  —  March !"  shouted  the 
Lieutenant.  "Guide  on  those  tall  hickories." 

Onward  they  rushed  full  into  the  smoke  that  drift 
ed  backward  down  the  hill.  As  they  gained  the  crest 
the  air  became  clearer,  and  they  saw  the  sadly- 
shrunken  remnant  of  their  regiment  strung  in  an 
irregular  line  along  the  forward  edge.  Some  were 
binding  up  wounds  more  or  less  severe,  some  were 


THE  TERRIFIC   STRUGGLE.  209 

searching  the  boxes  of  the  dead  and  wounded  for 
cartridges,  some  were  leaning  on  their  hot  guns, 
looking  curiously  into  the  woods  at  the  foot  of  "the 
slope  into  which  the  rebels  had  fled. 

Every  face  was  blackened  with  powder  almost  be 
yond  recognition.  The  artillerymen  to  the  left  were 
feverishly  swabbing  out  their  guns  and  trying  to 
cool  them  off,  and  bringing  up  everything  in  the 
shape  of  ammunition  from  the  limbers  in  the  rear. 

Capt.  McGillicuddy  was  leaning  on  his  sword  at 
the  right  of  the  line,  intently  watching  everything. 
He  looked  sharply  around,  when  the  men  raised  a 
cheer  on  recognizing  Si  and  the  rest,  and  coming 
back  shook  Lieut.  Bowersox  warmly  by  the  hand, 
saying : 

"Great  God,  Lieutenant,  I've  always  been  glad  to 
see  you,  but  I  never  was  so  glad  to  see  a  man  in 
my  life  as  I  am  you  this  minute.  How  many  men  did 
you  bring?" 

"I've  got  128  with  me,"  answered  the  Lieutenant. 
"What's  the  situation?" 

"You  have?  Well,  you've  got  more  than  we  have 
left.  You'll  act  as  Major.  Poor  Wilkinson  just  got 
his  dose.  You  can  see  him  lying  down  there  in  the 
rear  of  the  left.  Put  your  men  in  anywhere.  Mix 
them  up  with  the  others.  .  It  don't  matter  much 
about  formation.  The  main  thing's  to  stand  and 
shoot.  The  rebels  have  been  charging  us  all  after 
noon,  but  we  have  whipped  them  back  every  time. 

"You  can  see  our  work  out  there  (pointing  to 
the  slope  in  front,  which  was  literally  covered  with 
dead  and  wounded).  I've  thought  every  time  that 
they  couldn't  stand  another  such  a  slaughter,  but 

8 


210  SI    KLEGG. 

they've  rallied  in  those  woods  there  and  come  out 
again  with  their  infernal  yell,  just  as  before.  The 
last  time  it  seemed  to  me  that  we  just  swept  them 
off  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  I  don't  see  how  in 
God's  name  they  can  stand  any  more  of  that  sort  of 
thing.  It's  worse  killing  than  we  gave  them  at  Stone 
River.  It  seems  to  me  that  hell  has  let  out  for  noon, 
and  sent  all  its  devils  to  reinforce  them.  But  it  will 
soon  be  night  now,  when  they'll  have  to  stop.  If 
they  won't  we'll  have  to  depend  on  the  bayonet,  for 
we  haven't  five  rounds  apiece  left,  and  I  can't  get 
more  anywhere." 

Si  and  Shorty  had  been  distributing  the  detach 
ment  along  the  line,  and  had  posted  the  Englishman 
and  his  squad  of  Irishmen,  with  themselves,  around 
the  tattered  colors,  which  were  now  in  the  hands 
of  the  last  survivor  of  the  color  guard,  who  was 
himself  wounded. 

Dusk  was  fast  coming  on,  when  the  woods  beyond 
the  foot  of  the  slope  began  to  darken  again  with 
masses  of  men  arraying  in  column  of  assault. 

"They're  coming  again,"  called  out  Capt.  McGilli- 
cuddy.  "Lieut.  Bowersox,  look  out  there  for  the  left. 
Men,  if  we  haven't  stopped  them  when  we've  fired 
out  last  shot,  we'll  fix  bayonets  and  charge  them. 
We  must  keep  them  off  this  hill  or  die  right  here." 

He  was  answered  with  cheers.  A  demoniac  yell 
from  10,000  fierce  throats  rang  through  the  woods, 
and  the  next  instant  thunder  and  flames  burst  from 
the  sweeping  crescent  of  rebel  cannon,  and  the 
ground  in  front  of  the  foot  of  the  hill  was  hidden 
from  view  by  the  tide  of  men  rushing  over  it. 

A  fierce  storm  of  cannon  and  musketry  answered 


THE   TERRIFIC    STRUGGLE. 


211 


from  the  crest  of  the  hill.    As  they  reloaded,  Si  and 
Shorty  saw  in  quick  glances  that  the  rebel  line  to 


THEY   HAD  A  DELIRIOUS   REMEMBRANCE  OF  THE   MAD 

WHIRL. 

the  right  and  left  seemed  beaten  to  a  standstill  by 
the  terrific  storm  which  fell  upon  them,  but  in  their 


*212  SI    KLEGG. 

immediate  front  a  body  of  men,  apparently  a  regi 
ment,  kept  stubbornly  forging  forward.  Upon  their 
flag,  held  gallantly  aloft,  could  be  made  out  the  let 
ters  "Miss." 

By  the  time  every  shot  in  the  cartridge-boxes  had 
been  fired  at  them  they  had  forced  their  way  half- 
up  the  slope. 

"Attention,  200th  Indiana,"  shouted  Capt.  Mc- 
Gillicuddy.  "Dress  on  the  colors.  Fix  bayonets." 

"They'uns  's  Injiannians,"  shouted  the  rebel  Color- 
Sergeant,  waving  his  flag  defiantly.  "Come  on,  you 
Hoosiers.  We'uns  's  Mississippians.  Remember 
Buny  Visty.  Injiannians  's  cowards." 

"Shorty,  le's  have  that  'ere  flag,"  said  Si. 

"Le's,"  said  Shorty,  pushing  around  the  ring  that 
locked  his  bayonet  on. 

"Forward — March — Charge!"  shouted  Capt.  Mc- 
Gillicuddy. 

Of  the  mad  whirl  of  an  eternity  of  events  in  the 
next  few  minutes  neither  Si  nor  Shorty  had  anything 
but  a  delirious  remembrance.  They  could  only  rec 
ollect  the  fierce  rush  of  the  lightning-like  play  of 
bayonet  and  gun-barrel  in  the  storm-center  around 
the  rebel  colors.  Each  after  an  instant's  savage 
fencing  had  sent  his  bayonet  home  in  his  opponent's 
body.  Si  had  sprung  at  and  seized  the  rebel  colors, 
only  to  fall,  as  he  grasped  them,  from  a  bullet  out 
of  the  revolver  of  a  rebel  Captain,  whom  Shorty  in 
stantly  bayoneted,  and  fell  himself  from  a  blow 
across  the  head  with  a  musket-barrel. 

The  man  who  struck  him  was  bayoneted  by  Abel 
Waite,  who  was  dancing  around  the  edges  of  the 
melee  like  a  malignant  little  fiend,  prodding 


THE   TERRIFIC    STRUGGLE.  213 

wherever  he  could  get  a  chance  at  a  rebel  body.  The 
Irishmen,  yelling  like  demons,  were  using  their  guns 
like  shilelahs,  and  crushing  heads  in  every  direction, 
while  Wat  Burnham  had  thrown  his  musket  aside, 
and  was  rushing  at  everybody  with  his  mighty  fists. 

At  length  the  rebels  fled,  leaving  the  Indianians 
in  possession  of  their  colors  and  the  hillside. 

"Some  of  you  find  Lieut.  Bowersox,  and  bring 
him  here,"  said  Capt.  McGillicuddy,  sitting  up,  and 
beginning  to  twist  a  handkerchief  around  his  thigh, 
to  form  a  torniquet.  "Lieutenant,  you  all  right?" 

"Nothing  more  than  a  mere  scratch  on  the  side  of 
my  head,"  said  the  Lieutenant,  wiping  away  the 
blood. 

"Well,  Lieutenant,  you'll  have  to  take  command  of 
the  regiment.  I  had  a  personal  altercation  with  that 
Mississippi  Colonel  lying  over  there,  and  he  put  a 
bullet  through  my  thigh.  Get  the  men  together,  pick 
up  our  wounded,  and  fall  back  to  the  top  of  the  hill 
again." 

"I'm  afraid  there's  no  use  of  picking  up  Corp'l 
Klegg  and  Shorty,"  said  the  Lieutenant,  with  tears 
in  his  eyes.  "They  got  the  rebel  flag,  but  they're 
lying  there  stiff  and  cold." 

"Well,  bring  them  back,  anyway,  so  we  can  lay 
them  beside  the  other  gallant  boys  who  have  fallen 
to-day." 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


IN  THE  HOSPITAL — REMOVED  FROM  THE  BATTLEFIELD 
TO  THE   HOSPITAL  AT  CHATTANOOGA. 

FOR  a  short  time  a  silence  that  seemed  oppres 
sive  followed  the  fierce  turmoil  of  the  last 
charge  of  the  rebels  upon  Snodgrass  Hill  and 
its  repulse.     Both  sides  had  exhausted  themselves 
in  the  awful  grapple,  and  had  to  regain  breath  and 
thought.    Then  the  night  was  pierced  by  the  agon 
izing  groans  of  the  innumerable  wounded,  the  stern 
commands  of  officers  to  their  men  to  re-form,  the 
calls  of  scattered  men  seeking  their  regiments  and 
companies. 

The  sadly-shrunken  remnant  of  the  unconquer 
able  200th  Ind.  gathered  around  its  regimental  col 
ors,  on  the  front  of  the  crest  of  Snodgrass  Hill, 
and  grimly,  silently  prepared  for  the  next  event, 
whatever  it  might  be.  The  wounds  of  those  still 
able  to  fight  were  bound  up,  and  they  resumed  their 
places  in  line.  The  worst  hurt  were  helped  or  car 
ried  back  to  the  busy  Surgeon  under  the  shelter 
of  the  hill.  The  newly-dead  were  brought  up  and 
added  to  the  row  of  those  who  had  already  fought 
their  last  battle.  Cartridge-boxes  of  both  dead  and 
wounded  were  carefully  searched  for  remaining  car 
tridges.  Si  and  Shorty  were  laid  at  the  end  of  the 
long  row. 

The  chill  air  of  the  evening  began  to  revive  Si 


IN    THE    HOSPITAL.        .  215 

and  Shorty.  Si's  brain  responded  long  before  any 
of  his  muscles.  At  first  it  seemed  the  vaguest  and 
most  shadowy  of  dreams.  There  was  a  dim  con 
sciousness  of  lying  somewhere.  Where  it  was,  how 
he  came  there,  what  was  going  on  around  he  had 
not  the  slightest  idea  nor  desire  to  know.  There 
was  just  the  feeling  of  being  there,  without  any 
sensation  of  comfort  or  discomfort,  wish  or  longing. 

One  by  one,  and  very  slowly,  other  nerves  awoke. 
He  became  conscious  that  there  was  a  sharp  stone 
or  knot  under  his  head,  which  hurt,  and  he  tried  to 
move  it,  but  queerly  his  head  would  not  move,  and 
then  he  found  that  neither  would  his  hands.  This 
was  faintly  puzzling,  as  things  are  in  dreams.  Then 
his  throat  became  on  fire  with  thirst,  and  somehow 
there  came  a  dream  of  the  deliciously  cool  well  on 
the  farm  at  home,  the  bucket  covered  with  green 
moss  swinging  over  it,  the  splash  of  cool  water  when 
it  was  lowered,  the  trough  by  the  side,  where  they 
used  to  pour  water  for  the  fowls  to  drink,  the  muddy 
spot  around,  where  water  plants  grew  on  the  splash- 
ings  and  drippings.  Then  were  visions  of  the 
eternal,  parching  thirst  of  the  damned,  which  he  had 
often  heard  preachers  describe,  and  he  was  con 
scious  of  a  faint  curiosity  as  to  whether  he  had  died 
and  waked  up  in  the  home  of  the  lost. 

Still  not  a  muscle  waked  up  to  obey  his  will,  and 
he  seemed  indifferent  whether  it  did  or  not.  Then 
he  forgot  everything  again,  until  presently  his  burn 
ing  throat  recalled  his  consciousness. 

He  felt  the  cold,  bracing  air  in  his  nostrils,  and 
slowly,  very  slowly  at  first,  he  began  to  hear  and 
understand  the  sounds  around  him.  The  shriek  of 


216  SI   KLEGG. 

a  wounded  comrade  carried  past,  whose  leg  had  been 
shattered,  first  sounded  like  the  hum  of  bees,  and 
finally  translated  itself  into  something  like  its  true 
meaning,  but  he  had  no  comprehension  or  sympathy 
for  its  misery. 

He  tried  to  make  some  sound  himself,  but  his 
tongue  was  as  hypnotized  as  his  other  muscles,  and 
refused  to  obey  his  will.  Yet  at  the  moment  he  did 
not  seem  to  care  much.  His  wishes  were  as  numb 
as  his  tendons  and  sinews.  He  became  shadowly 
conscious  of  his  comrades  gathering  around  him, 
picking  him  up,  carrying  him  back  up  the  hill,  and 
laying  him  down  again.  This  relieved  the  sharp 
pain  from  the  stone  under  his  head;  but  when  they 
laid  him  down  again  his  head  fell  too  low.  He  heard 
the  murmur  of  their  voices,  and  felt  their  hands 
searching  his  pockets  for  cartridges. 

Consciousness  began  returning  more  swiftly, 
though  the  muscles  were  yet  paralyzed.  He  could 
feel  to  the  tips  of  his  fingers,  yet  he  could  not  move 
them.  He  began  to  understand  the  words  spoken 
about  him,  and  comprehend  their  meaning.  The 
first  sentence  that  filtered  its  way  to  his  brain  was 
Lieut.  Bowersox's  order  to  the  regiment: 

"The  orders  are  to  fall  back  quietly.  We'll  fol 
low  the  1st  Oshkosh,  on  our  right.  As  soon  as  it 
is  well  down  the  hill  we'll  move  by  the  right  flank, 
and  fall  in  behind  it.  Our  wagon  is  right  at  the 
bottom  of  the  hill.  Those  that  are  not  able  to  march 
will  start  now,  and  get  in  it.  It  will  move  right 
after  the  regiment.  Don't  anybody  say  a  word  of 
this  above  his  breath.  The  rebels  are  listening 
sharply  for  our  movements.  We  dare  not  even  cheer, 


IN    THE    HOSPITAL.  217 

for  fear  they'll  find  out  how  few  are  left  of  us. 
All  of  you  keep  a  lookout,  and  follow  right  after  me 
when  I  start,  for  I  won't  give  any  order." 

Then  all  his  consciousness  seemed  to  wake  up  at 
once  into  an  agony  of  fear  of  being  left  behind  to 
fall  into  the  hands  of  the  rebels.  He  made  a  des 
perate  effort  to  call  out,  but  his  tongue  seemed  dry 
and  useless  as  a  cornhusk  in  his  parched  mouth, 
and  his  throat  too  burning  hot  to  perform  its 
office.  Nor  could  he  lift  a  finger  nor  move  a  toe. 

He  found  room  for  anger  at  Shorty  that  he  did 
not  look  him  up,  and  satisfy  himself  as  to  his  con 
dition,  and  Lieut.  Bowersox  and  the  rest  seemed 
selfishly  thoughtful  of  their  own  safety  and  neglect 
ful  of  his. 

He  listened  in  agony  to  the  regiment  on  the  right 
marching  off,  to  the  cautions  and  admonitions  given 
those  who  were  carrying  off  the  badly-wounded,  and 
then  to  Lieut.  Bowersox  starting  off  with  the  right 
of  the  200th  Ind. 

Then  he  heard  little  Abel  Waite  say : 

"I  know  that  Si  Klegg  has  some  things  on  him 
that  his  f oiks' d  like  to  have.  I  know  where  they  live. 
I'm  goin'  to  git  'em,  and  send  'em  to  'em." 

"Make  haste,  then,  young  feller,"  he  heard  Wat 
Burnham  growl.  "Don't  let  the  rebels  ketch  yer. 
We're  movin'  now." 

He  heard  Abel  Waite's  steps  running  toward  him, 
and  felt  his  hands  thrust  into  his  blouse  pocket  over 
his  breast.  Then  the  boy  said  with  a  start  of  sur 
prise  : 

"Why,  he's  alive  yet.    Come  here,  Wat." 

Wat  and  the  Irishmen  hastened  to  him.     He  felt 


218  SI    KLEGG. 

Wat's  hand  laid  on  his  breast,  and  then  held  over 
his  mouth. 

"  'E's  certainly  warm  yet.    Hand  'e  breathes." 

Shorty  made  a  violent  effort,  and  summoned 
enough  strength  to  reach  over  and  touch  the  Eng 
lishman's  foot. 

"The  tall  feller's  alive,  too,"  said  Wat. 

"We  must  take  'em  along  with  us,"  said  Abel 
Waite  excitedly. 

"Yes,  but  'ow?"  growled  the  Englishman.  "Don't 
speak  so  loud,  you  young  brat.  Do  you  want  to 
hopen  hup  that  'ell's  kitchen  hagin?" 

"The  Liftinant's  far  down  the  hill  wid  the  regi 
ment,"  said  Barney  McGrath.  "There's  no  toime 
to  sind  for  him.  Here,  lit's  pick  thim  up  an'  carry 
thim  down  to  the  wagon." 

He  put  his  hand  under  Si's  shoulder.  The  others 
did  the  same,  Wat  lifting  Shorty's  feet. 

"Halt,  there,  you  Yanks,  and  surrender,"  said  a 
stern  voice  just  behind  Wat. 

Wat  looked  back  over  his  shoulder  and  saw  a  single 
adventurous  rebel  who,  divining  what  was  going 
on,  had  slipped  forward  in  the  darkness,  with  his 
gun  leveled  on  the  squad  bearing  Si.  Wat  realized 
instantly  that  the  rebel  must  be  suppressed  with 
out  alarm  to  others  that  might  be  behind  him.  He 
dropped  Shorty's  foot,  and  with  a  backward  sweep 
of  his  mighty  right  took  the  rebel  in  the  stomach 
with  such  force  as  to  double  him  up.  The  next  in 
stant  Wat  had  his  throat  in  his  terrific  grip,  and 
tried  to  tear  the  windpipe  from  him.  Then  he 
flung  the  rebel  forward  down  the  hill,  gathered 
up  Shorty's  feet  again,  and  gave  the  command : 


IN    THE    HOSPITAL.  219 

"Hall  right.    Go  a'ead,  boys,  quick  has  you  can." 

With  great  difficulty  they  made  their  way  over 
the  wreckage  of  battle  down  the  hill  toward  where 
they  expected  to  find  the  regimental  wagon.  But  it 
had  received  all  that  it  could  hold  of  its  ghastly 
freight  and  moved  off. 

They  were  is  despair  for  a  few  minutes,  until  Abel 
Waite  discovered  an  abandoned  wagon  near  by,  with 
one  mule  still  hitched  to  it.  Next  they  found  a 
wounded  artillery  horse  which  had  been  turned  loose 
from  his  battery.  He  was  hitched  in,  and  Si  and 
Shorty  were  laid  on  the  layer  of  ammunition-boxes 
which  still  covered  the  bottom  of  the  bed. 

"Who'll  drive  the  bloody  team?"  growled  Wat. 
"Hi  never  druv  a  'oss  hin  my  life.  'Ere,  Barney, 
you  get  hin  the  saddle." 

"Not  Oi,"  answered  Barney.  "Oi  niver  could 
droive  ayven  a  pig,  on  the  brightest  day  that  shone. 
Oi'll  not  fool  wid  a  couple  av  strange  horses,  a 
wagon-load  av  foire  an'  brimstone,  an'  a  brace  av 
dead  men,  in  the  midst  av  Aygytian  darkness.  Not 
Oi." 

"Here,  I  kin  drive  two  horses,  anyway,"  said  Abel 
Waite,  climbing  into  the  saddle.  "I've  done  that 
much  on  the  farm." 

They  pushed  off  into  the  road  marked  by  the  dark 
line  of  troops  moving  silently  toward  McFarland's 
Gap,  and  after  some  contest  with  other  drivers  se 
cured  a  place  behind  one  of  the  regiments  of  their 
brigade. 

A  couple  of  miles  ahead  Forrest's  cavalry  was 
making  a  noisy  dispute  of  the  army's  retreat,  the 


220 


SI   KLEGG. 


woods  were  on  fire,  and  the  fences  on  either  side 
of  the  road  were  blazing. 

The  long  line  was  halted  in  anxious  expectation 
for  a  little  while,  as  the  storm  of  battle  rose,  and 
the  men  looked  into  each  other's  faces  with  sick 
ening  apprehension,  for  it  seemed  much  like  defeat 
and  capture.  Then  loud  cheers,  taken  up  clear  down 


THE  DEAD  BEING  COLLECTED  AFTER  THE  BATTLE. 

the  line',  rose  as  Turchin's  Brigade,  by  a  swift  bay 
onet  charge,  swept  away  all  opposition,  scattered 
the  rebels  to  the  shelter  of  the  woods,  and  reopened 
the  way.  But  the  rebels  still  continued  to  fire  long 
distance  shots  at  the  road  as  outlined  by  the  burn 
ing  fences. 

Though  one  of  his  team  was  wounded,  Abel  Waite 


IN    THE    HOSPITAL.  221 

had  little  difficulty  in  keeping  his  place  in  column 
until  the  burning  lane  was  reached.  The  regiment 
ahead  had  gone  through  on  the  double-quick,  and 
teams  as  fast  as  they  could  be  lashed. 

"What'll  we  do  now?"  he  called  out  to  the  others 
in  his  boyish  treble.  "I  can't  git  these  plugs  out 
of  a  walk.  If  we  go  ahead  the  fire'll  bust  the  am 
munition,  and  send  us  all  sky-huntin'.  If  we  stop 
here  them  rebels  '11  git  us,  sure." 

"Go  a'ead,  Habe,"  growled  Wat,  after  a  moment's 
thought.  "We  can't  'elp  you,  but  we'll  stay  wi'  you. 
Hif  she  busts,  she  busts,  hand  that's  hall  there'll  be 
hof  hit  hor  hof  us.  We'll  stick  by  the  wagon,  though, 
till  she  busts,  hand  then  nobuddy  but  the  crows  '11 
hever  find  hany  hof  hus.  Go  a'ead,  you  bloody  brat." 

"Cut  me  one  o'  them  young  hickories  for  a  gad," 
said  Abel,  pointing  to  the  brush  by  the  side  of  the 
road,  "and  I'll  git  as  good  time  out  o'  these  poor 
brutes  as  they  kin  make,  if  I  skin  'em  alive." 

Abel  lashed  his  animals  with  all  the  strength  of 
his  young  arm,  and  succeeded  in  keeping  them  in 
something  like  a  trot.  The  men  ran  alongside,  and 
fought  the  fire  as  well  as  they  were  able.  Several 
times  the  wagon-cover  caught  fire  from  the  intense 
heat,  but  it  was  at  once  beaten  out  by  hats  and 
blouses,  and  blouses  were  laid  over  the  holes  to  pro 
tect  them  against  the  sparks.  , 

They  succeeded  at  last  in  getting  through  the  fire- 
bordered  road  without  an  explosion,  but  they  were 
all  so  exhausted  that  they  could  not  move  another 
step  until  they  rested.  The  poor  horse  lay  down 
and  refused  to  get  up. 

Wat  and  Abel  looked  in  to  see  how  Si  and  Shorty 


222  SI    KLEGG. 

had  fared.  The  jolting  of  the  wagon  and  the  cold 
night  air  had  at  first  revived  them  so  that  they  could 
speak.  Then  they  swooned  again  from  the  effects 
of  the  heat  and  the  stifling  smoke,  and  were  speech 
less  and  motionless  when  Wat  and  Abel  looked  in. 

"We've  'ad  hall  hour  trouble  for  nothink,"  said 
Wat  disconsolately,  as  he  felt  them  over.  "The  'eat 
and  smoke's  killed  'em." 

"Not — by — a — durned — sight,"  slowly  gasped 
Shorty.  "Seen — sicker  —  dogs'n — this  —  git — well. 
Nearly — dead — for  —  a — drink — o' — water,  though. 
Then— I'll— be— all— right." 

Abel  snatched  a  canteen,  ran  to  a  branch  a  little 
way  off,  filled  it,  and  returning,  put  it  to  Shorty's 
lips. 

"Jehosephat,  how  good  that  tastes,"  said  Shorty, 
speaking  still  faintly,  but  far  more  freely  than  at 
first,  after  he  had  drained  the  canteen.  "Sonny, 
run  and  git  some  more;  and  mind  you  fill  the  can 
teen  full  this  time.  I  feel  as  if  I  could  drink  up  the 
Mississippi  River.  Say,  boys,  what's  happened? 
Appearintly,  I  got  a  sock-dologer  on  my  head  from 
some  feller  who  thought  I  was  too  fresh.  I'm  afraid 
I'll  have  a  spell  o'  headache.  But  we  got  the  flag, 
didn't  we?" 

"Yo're  bloody  right  we  did,"  said  Wat;  "hand  we 
wolloped  them  bloomin'  rebels  till  they  'unted  their 
'oles  hin  the  woods." 

"That's — good — enough,"  said  Shorty,  sinking 
back. 

"The  column's  movin'  agin,"  said  Abel  Waite,  turn 
ing  his  attention  to  his  team. 

Shortly  after  daybreak  the  team  limped  painfully 


IN    THE    HOSPITAL.  223 

up  the  slope  of  Mission  Ridge,  through  Rossvilla 
Gap,  on  either  side  of  which  stood  Thomas's  indom 
itable  army  in  battle  array,  sternly  defying  the  rebel 
hosts  of  Bragg  and  Longstreet,  which  swarmed  over 
the  hills  and  valleys  in  front,  but  without  much  ap 
parent  appetite  for  a  renewal  of  the  dreadful  fray. 

"Where  do  you  men  belong?  What  have  you  got 
in  that  wagon?  Where  are  you  going?"  demanded 
the  Provost  officer  in  the  road. 

"We  belong  to  the  200th  Hinjianny.  We've  got 
two  badly-wounded  men  and  ha  lot  o'  hammynition 
in  the  wagon.  We  want  to  find  our  regiment,"  an 
swered  Wat  Burnham. 

"Stop  your  wagon  right  there.  We  need  all  the 
ammunition  we  can  get.  Lift  your  wounded  men 
into  that  ambulance,  and  then  go  up  to  that  side 
of  the  gap.  Your  division  is  up  there  somewhere." 

It  was  late  in  the  afternoon  before  the  overworked 
Surgeon  in  the  field  hospital  at  Chattanooga,  in 
which  Si  and  Shorty  were  finally  deposited,  found 
time  to  examine  them. 

"You  got  a  pretty  stiff  whack  on  your  head,  my 
man,"  he  said  to  Shorty,  as  he  finished  looking  him 
over;  "but  so  far  as  I  can  tell  now  it  has  not  frac 
tured  your  skull.  You  Hoosiers  have  mighty  hard 
heads." 

"Reglar  clay-knob  whiteoak,"  whispered  Shorty; 
"couldn't  split  it  with  a  maul  and  wedge.  Don't 
mind  that  a  mite,  since  we  got  that  flag.  But  how's 
my  pardner  over  there?" 

"I  think  you'll  pull  through  all  right,"  continued 
the  Surgeon,  "if  you  don't  have  concussion  of  the 
brain.  You'll  have  to  be" 


224  SI    KLEGG. 

"No  danger  o'  discussion  of  the  brains,"  whispered 
Shorty.  "Don't  carry  'em  up  there,  where  they're 
liable  to  get  slubbed.  Keep  'em  in  a  safer  place, 
where  there's  more  around  'em.  But  how's  my  pard- 
ner?" 

"You'll  come  through  all  right,"  said  the  Surgeon 
smiling.  "You're  the  right  kind  to  live.  You've 
got  grit.  I'll  look  at  your  partner  now." 

He  went  to  Si  and  examined  him.  Shorty  turned 
on  his  side  and  watched  him  with  eager  eyes.  His 
heart  sickened  as  he  saw  the  Surgeon's  face  grow 
graver  as  he  proceeded.  The  Surgeon  probed  the 
bullet's  track  with  his  fingers,  and  drew  out  a  piece 
of  folded  letter  paper  stained  with  blood.  Instinc 
tively  he  unfolded  it,  and  read  through  the  en 
sanguined  smears,  written  in  a  cramped  school-girl 
hand: 

"Dear  Si :  Though  I  did  not  have  the  heart  to  say 
it,  Ime  yours  till  death,  and  Ime  sure  you  feel  the 
same  way.  Annabel." 

"I'm  much  afraid  the  end  has  come  too  soon  to  a 
brave  as  well  as  loving  heart,"  said  the  Surgeon 
sadly. 

"Doctor,  he  can't  die.  He  mustn't  die,"  said 
Shorty  in  agony.  "The  regiment  can't  spare  him. 
He's  the  best  soldier  in  it,  and  he's  my  pardner." 

"He  may  live,  but  it's  a  very  slender  chance,"  said 
the  Surgeon.  "Men  live  in  this  war  against  all  sci 
ence  and  experience,  and  it  is  possible  that  he  may." 

"Major,"  said  Lieut.  Bowersox,  coming  in,  "I 
understand  that  two  of  my  men  were  brought  in 


IN    THE    HOSPITAL.  225 

here  wounded.  The  report  which  was  sent  North 
this  morning  gave  them  as  killed.  If  you  have  them 
here  I  want  to  correct  it  and  save  their  people  sor 
row." 

"One  of  them,"  answered  the  Surgeon,  "has  no 
thought  of  dying,  and  will,  I'm  sure,  pull  through. 
I  am  sorry  I  cannot  say  the  same  for  the  other. 
It  he  lives  it  will  be  a  wonder." 

"Neither  of  us  is  a-going  to  die  till  we've  put  down 
this  damned  rebellion,  and  got  home  and  married 
our  girls,"  gasped  Shorty  with  grim  effort.  "You 
can  jist  telegraph  that  home,  and  to  ole  Abe  Lin 
coln,  and  to  all  whom  it  may  concern." 

And  he  fell  back  exhausted  on  his  blanket. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


A    DISTURBING    MESSAGE — THE    DEACON     HURRIEDLY 
LEAVES  FOR  CHATTANOOGA. 


T 


HAT  evening  Lieut.  Bowersox  sent  a  telegram 
to  Deacon  Klegg.  It  had  to  be  strictly  lim 
ited  to  10  words,  and  read : 


JOSIAH  KLEGG,  ESQ., 

Somepunkins  Station,  Ind. : 

Josiah  not  killed.  Hospital  at  Chattanooga.  Badly 
wounded.  E.  C.  BOWERSOX. 

It  did  not  arrive  at  Sumpunkins  Station,  three 
miles  from  the  Deacon's  home,  until  the  next  fore 
noon.  The  youth  who  discharged  the  multifarious 
duties  of  Postmaster,  passenger,  freight  and  express 
agent,  baggage-master,  and  telegraph  operator  at 
Sumpunkins  Station  laboriously  spelled  out  the  dots 
and  dashes  on  the  paper  strip  in  the  instrument.  He 
had  barely  enough  mastery  of  the  Morse  alphabet 
to  communicate  the  routine  messages  relating  to  the 
railroad's  business  aided  by  the  intelligence  of  the 
conductors  and  engineers  as  to  what  was  expected 
of  them.  This  was  the  first  outside  message  that  he 
had  ever  received,  and  for  a  while  it  threatened  to 
be  too  much  for  him,  especially  as  the  absence  of 
punctuation  made  it  still  more  enigmatical.  He 


A   DISTURBING    MESSAGE.  227 

faithfully  transcribed  each  letter  as  he  made  it  out. 
and  then  the  agglomeration  read : 

"Josiamnotkildhospitalatchatanoogabadlywounded 
ecbowersox." 

"Confound  them  smart  operators  at  Louisville 
and  Jefferson ville,"  he  grumbled,  scanning  the 
scrawl.  "They  never  make  letters  plain,  and  don't 
put  in  half  of  'em,  just  to  worrit  country  operators. 
I'd  like  to  take  a  club  to  'em.  There's  no  sort  o' 
sense  in  sich  sending.  A  Philadelphia  lawyer 
couldn't  make  nothing  out  of  it.  But  I've  got  to 
or  get  a  cussing,  and  mebbe  the  bounce.  I'll  try  it 
over  again,  and  see  if  I  can  separate  it  into  words. 
Why  in  thunder  can't  they  learn  to  put  a  space  be 
tween  the  words,  and  not  jumble  the  letters  all  to 
gether  in  that  fool  fashion?" 

The  next  time  he  wrote  it  out : 

"J.  O.  S.  I  am  not  kild  Hospital  at  Chattanooga 
badly  wounded  E.  C.  Bower  sox." 

"That  begins  to  look  like  something,"  said  he, 
wiping  the  sweat  from  his  forehead.  "But  who  is 
J.  O.  S.?  Nobody  o'  them  initials  in  this  neighbor 
hood.  Nor  E.  C.  Bower.  Deacon  Klegg  can't  know 
any  of  'em.  Then,  how's  the  hospital  badly  wounded 
Bower?  What's  that  about  his  socks?  I'll  have  to 
try  it  over  again  as  soon  as  No.  7,  freight,  gets  by." 

After  No.  7  had  gotten  away,  he  tackled  the  mes 
sage  again: 

"No,  that  sixth  letter's  not  an  m,  but  an  h.  H  is 
four  dots,  and  m  is  two  dashes.  It's  specks  in  the 
paper  that  makes  it  look  like  an  h.  I'll  put  in  some 
letters  where  they're  needed.  Now  let's  see  how 
it'll  read:" 


228  SI    KLEGG. 

"Josiah  Nott  killed  Hospital  at  Chattanooga. 
Badly  wounded  E.  C.  Bower  sox." 

"That  seems  to  have  more  sense  in  it,  but  I  don't 
know  any  Josiah  Nott  in  this  country.  Does  it  mean 
that  he  killed  a  man  named  Hospital  at  Chattanooga, 
and  badly  wounded  E.  C.  Bower  in  the  socks?  That 
don't  seem  sense.  I'll  try  it  again." 

The  next  time  he  succeeded  in  making  it  read : 

"Josiah  Nott  killed.  Hospital  at  Chattanooga. 
Badly  wounded  E.  C.  Bower's  ox." 

"There,  that's  best  I  can  do,"  he  said,  surveying 
the  screed.  "It'll  have  to  go  that  way,  and  let  the 
Deacon  study  it  out.  He's  got  more  time  'n  I  have, 
and  mebbe  knows  all  about  it.  I  can't  spend  no 
more  time  on  it.  No.  3,  passenger,  from  the  West 's 
due  in  20  minutes,  and  I've  got  to  get  ready  for  it. 
Good  luck;  there  comes  the  Deacon's  darky  now, 
with  a  load  of  wheat.  I'll  send  it  out  by  him." 

The  operator  wrote  out  his  last  version  of  the 
message  on  a  telegraph-blank,  inclosed  it  in  a  West 
ern  Union  envelope,  which  he  addressed  to  Deacon 
Klegg,  and  gave  to  Abraham  Lincoln,  with  strong 
injunctions  to  make  all  haste  back  home  with  it. 

Impressed  with  these,  Abraham,  as  soon  as  he 
delivered  his  grain  to  the  elevator,  put  his  team  to  a 
trot,  and  maintained  it  until  he  reached  home. 

Everything  about  the  usually  cheerful  farm-house 
was  shrouded  in  palpable  gloom.  The  papers  of  the 
day  before,  with  their  ghastly  lists  of  the  dead  and 
wounded,  had  contained  Si's  and  Shorty's  names, 
besides  those  of  other  boys  of  the  neighborhood,  in 
terrific,  unmistakable  plainness.  There  were  few 
homes  into  which  mourning  had  not  come.  The 


A    DISTURBING    MESSAGE.  229 

window  curtains  were  drawn  down,  the  front  doors 
closed,  no  one  appeared  on  the  front  porch,  and  it 
seemed  that  even  the  dogs  and  the  fowls  were  op 
pressed  with  the  general  sadness,  and  forebore  their 
usual  cheerful  utterances.  Attired  in  sober  black, 
with  eyes  red  from  weeping,  and  with  camphor 
bottle  near,  Mr.  Klegg  sat  in  Si's  room,  and  between 
her  fits  of  uncontrollable  weeping  turned  over,  one 
after  another,  the  reminders  of  her  son.  There  were 
his  bed,  his  clothes,  which  she  had  herself  fashioned 
in  loving  toil  for  him ;  the  well-thumbed  school-books 
which  had  cost  him  so  many  anxious  hours,  his  gun 
and  fishing  rod.  All  these  were  now  sacred  to  her. 
Elsewhere  in  the  house  his  teary-eyed  sisters  went 
softly  and  silently  about  their  daily  work. 

The  father  had  sought  distraction  in  active  work, 
and  was  in  the  cornfield,  long  corn-knife  in  hand, 
shocking  up  the  tall  stalks  with  a  desperate  energy 
to  bring  forgetfulness. 

Abraham  Lincoln  burst  into  the  kitchen,  and  tak 
ing  the  dispatch  from  his  hat  said : 

"Hyah  am  a  papeh  or  sumfin  dat  de  agent  down 
at  de  station  done  tole  me  to  bring  hyah  jest  as  quick 
as  I  done  could.  He  said  hit  done  come  ober  a  wire 
or  a  telugraph,  or  sumfin  ob  dat  ere  sort,  and  you 
must  hab  hit  right-a-way." 

"O,  my;  it's  a  telegraph  dispatch,"  screamed 
Maria  with  that  sickening  apprehension  that  all 
women  have  of  telegrams.  "It's  awful.  I  can't  tech 
it.  Take  it  Sophy." 

"How  can  I,"  groaned  poor  Sophia,  with  a  fresh 
outburst  of  tears.  "But  I  suppose  I  must." 

The  mother  heard  the  scream  and  the  words,  and 
hurried  into  the  room. 


230  SI    KLEGG. 

"It's  a  telegraph  dispatch,  mother,"  said  both  the 
girls  as  they  saw  her. 

"Merciful  Father,"  ejaculated  Mrs.  Klegg,  sinking 
into  a  chair  in  so  nearly  a  faint  that  Maria  ran  into 
the  next  room  for  the  camphor-bottle,  while  Sophy 
rushed  outside  and  blew  the  horn  for  the  Deacon. 
Presently  he  entered,  his  sleeves  rolled  to  the  elbow 
over  his  brawny  arms,  and  his  shirt  and  pantaloons 
covered  with  the  spanish-needles  and  burrs  which 
would  grow,  even  in  so  well-tilled  fields  as  Deacon 
Klegg's. 

"What's  the  matter,  mother?  What's  the  matter, 
girls  ?"  he  asked  anxiously. 

Mrs.  Klegg  could  only  look  at  him  in  speechless 
misery. 

"We've  got  a  telegraph  dispatch,"  finally  answered 
Maria,  bursting  in  a  torrent  of  tears,  into  which 
Sophia  joined  sympathetically,  "and  we  know  it's 
about  poor  Si." 

"Yes,  it  must  be  about  poor  Si;  nobody  else  but 
him,"  added  Sophia  with  a  wail. 

The  father's  face  grew  more  sorrowful  than  be 
fore.  "What  does  it  say?"  he  nerved  himself  to  ask, 
after  a  moment's  pause. 

"We  don't  know,"  sobbed  Maria.  "We  haint 
opened  it.  We're  afraid  to.  Here  it  is." 

The  father  took  it  with  trembling  hand.  "Well," 
he  said  after  a  little  hesitation,  "it  can't  tell  nothin' 
no  worse  than  we've  already  heard.  Let's  open  it. 
Bring  me  my  specs." 

Maria  ran  for  the  spectacles,  while  her  father, 
making  a  strong  effort  to  calm  himself,  slit  open  the 


A   DISTURBING    MESSAGE.  231 

envelope  with  a  jack-knife,  adjusted  his  glasses,  and 
read  the  inclosure  over  very  slowly. 

"Josiah — Nott — killed — Hospital — at — Chattanoo 
ga — badly — wounded — E. — C. — Bower's — ox.  What 
on  airth  does  that  mean?  I  can't  for  the  life  o'  me 
make  it  out." 

"Read  it  over  again,  pap,"  said  Maria,  suddenly 
drying  her  eyes. 

The  father  did  so. 

"Le'  me  read  it,  pap,"  said  Maria,  snatching  the 
telegram  from  his  hand.  "Josiah,"  said  she,  read 
ing.  "That's  Si's  right  name." 

"Certainly  it  is,"  said  her  mother,  reviving. 

"Certainly;  I  didn't  think  o'  that  before,"  echoed 
the  father. 

"Josiah  not  killed,"  continued  she.  "Good  heav 
ens,  that's  what  that  means.  They  rebels  has  got 
hold  o'  the  wires,  and  shook  'em  and  tangled  up  the 
rest,  but  the  beginnin's  all  straight." 

"I  believe  that  Sam  Elkins  down  at  the  station  's 
mixed  it  up,"  said  Sophia,  with  hope  springing  in 
her  breast.  "He  never  can  get  things  straight.  He 
was  in  the  class  with  me  when  I  went  to  school,  and 
too  dumb  to  come  in  when  it  rained.  He  was  the 
worst  writer,  speller  and  reader  in  the  school.  Think 
o'  him  being  a  telegraph  operator.  Why,  he  couldn't 
spell  well  enough  to  make  tally-marks  on  a  door 
when  you're  measurin'  corn.  Railroad  was  mighty 
hard  up  for  help  when  it  hired  him.  Let  me  read 
that  dispatch.  'Josiah  not  killed.'  That  means  Si 
Klegg,  as  sure's  you're  born.  It  can't  mean  nothin' 
else,  or  it  wouldn't  be  addressed  to  you,  pap.  'Hos 
pital  at  Chattanooga.'  Chattanooga's  near  where 


232  SI    KLEGG. 

the  battle  was  fought.  'Badly  wounded.'  That 
means  Si's  bin  shot.  'E.  C.  Bower's  ox.'  What  in 
the  world  can  that  be?" 

"Bowersox?"  said  her  father,  catching  the  sound. 
"Why,  that's  the  name  o'  the  Lootenant  Si  and 
Shorty  was  under  when  they  came  home.  Don't  you 
remember  they  told  us  about  him?  I  remember  the 
name,  for  a  man  named  Bowersox  used  to  run  a  mill 
down  on  Bean-Blossom  Crick,  years  ago,  and  I  won 
dered  if  he  was  his  son.  He's  sent  me  that  dispatch, 
and  signed  his  name.  The  Lord  be  praised  for  His 
never-endin'  mercies.  Si's  alive,  after  all.  Le'  me 
read  that  over  again." 

He  took  the  dispatch  with  shaking  hands,  but 
there  was  too  much  mist  on  his  glasses-,  and  he  had 
to  hand  it  back  to  Maria  to  read  over  again  to  con 
vince  himself. 

"I'll  tell  you  what  let's  do:  Let's  all  get  in  the 
wagon  and  ride  over  to  the  station,  and  get  Sam  El- 
kins  to  read  the  dispatch  over  again,"  suggested 
Sophia.  "I'll  jest  bet  he's  mummixed  it  up." 

"Don't  blame  him,  Sophy,"  urged  Maria.  "I  think 
the  rebels  has  got  at  the  poles  or  wires  and  shook 
'em,  and  mixed  the  letters  up.  It's  just  like  'em." 

Sophy's  suggestion  was  carried  out.  Abraham 
Lincoln  was  directed  to  get  out  the  spring  wagon, 
and  the  Deacon  helped  hitch  up,  while  the  "women 
folks"  got  ready. 

While  they  were  at  the  station  getting  Sam  Elkins 
to  re-examine  the  dots  and  dashes  on  his  strip  of 
paper,  the  Eastern  express  arrived,  bringing  the 
morning  papers.  The  Deacon  bought  one,  and  the 
girls  nervously  turned  to  the  war  news.  They  gave 


A  DISTURBING  MESSAGE.  233 

a  scream  of  exultation  when  they  read  the  revised 
returns  of  the  killed  and  wounded,  and  found  under 
head  of  "Wounded,  in  Hospital  at  Chattanooga" : 

"Corporal  Josiah  Klegg,  Q,  200th  Ind. 

"Private  Daniel  Elliott,  Q,  200th  Ind." 

"Mother  and  girls,  I'm  goin'  to  Chattanoogy  on 
the  next  train,"  said  the  Deacon. 

It  was  only  a  few  hours  until  the  train  from  the 
East  would  be  along,  and  grief  was  measurably  for 
gotten  in  the  joy  that  Si  was  still  alive  and  in  the 
bustle  of  the  Deacon's  preparation  for  the  journey. 

"No,"  he  said,  in  response  to  the  innumerable  sug 
gestions  made  by  the  mother  and  daughters.  "You 
kin  jest  set  all  them  things  back.  I've  bin  down 
there  once,  and  learned  something.  I'm  goin'  to  take 
nothin  with  me  but  my  Bible,  a  couple  o'  clean  shirts, 
and  my  razor.  A  wise  man  learns  by  experience." 

Mother  and  girls  were  inconsolable,  for  each  had 
something  that  they  were  sure  "Si  would  like,"  and 
would  "do  him  good,"  but  they  knew  Josiah  Klegg, 
Sr.,  well  enough  to  understand  what  was  the  condi 
tion  when  he  had  once  made  up  his  mind. 

"If  Si  and  Shorty's  able  to  be  moved,"  he  con 
soled  them  with,  "I'm  going  to  bring  them  straight 
back  home  with  me,  and  then  you  kin  nuss  and  cod 
dle  them  all  you  want  to." 

The  news  of  his  prospective  journey  had  flashed 
through  the  neighborhood,  so  that  he  met  at  the 
station  the  relatives  of  most  of  the  men  in  Co.  Q, 
each  with  a  burden  of  messages  and  comforts  for 
those  who  were  living,  or  of  tearful  inquiries  as  to 
those  reported  dead. 

He  took  charge  of  the  letters  and  money,  refused 


234  SI   KLEGG. 

the  other  things,  and  gave  to  the  kin  of  the  wounded 
and  dead  sympathetic  assurances  of  doing  every 
thing  possible. 

He  had  no  particular  trouble  or  advanture  until 
he  reached  Nashville.  There  he  found  that  he  could 
go  no  farther  without  procuring  a  pass  from  the  Pro 
vost-Marshal.  At  the  Provosts's  office  he  found  a 
highly  miscellaneous  crowd  besieging  that  official  for 
the  necessary  permission  to  travel  on  the  military 
railroad.  There  were  more  or  less  honest  and  loyal 
speculators  in  cotton  who  were  ready  to  take  any 
chances  in  the  vicissitudes  of  the  military  situation 
to  get  a  few  bales  of  the  precious  staple.  There  were 
others  who  were  downright  smugglers,  and  willing 
to  give  the  rebels  anything,  from  quinine  to  gun- 
caps,  for  cotton.  There  were  sutlers,  pedlers,  and 
gamblers.  And  there  were  more  or  less  loyal  citi 
zens  of  the  country  south  who  wanted  to  get  back  to 
their  homes,  some  to  be  honest,  law-abiding  citizens, 
more  to  get  in  communication  with  the  rebels  and 
aid  and  abet  the  rebellion. 

Deacon  Klegg's  heart  sank  as  he  surveyed  the 
pushing,  eager  crowd  which  had  gotten  there  before 
him,  and  most  of  whom  were  being  treated  very 
cavalierly  by  the  Provost-Marshal. 

"No,"  he  heard  that  official  say  to  a  man  who  ap 
peared  a  plain  farmer  like  himself;  "you  not  only 
can  have  no  pass,  but  you  can't  stay  in  Nashville  an 
other  day.  I  remember  you.  I've  heard  you  tell 
that  story  of  a  sick  son  in  the  hospital  before.  I 
remember  all  the  details.  You  haven't  changed  one. 
You're  a  smuggler,  and  I  believe  a  spy.  You've  got 
mule-loads  of  quinine  somewhere  in  hiding,  and  may 


A    DISTURBING    MESSAGE.  235 

be  gun-caps  and  other  munitions  of  war.  If  you 
know  what's  good  for  you,  you'll  take  the  next  train 
north,  and  never  stop  until  you  are  on  the  other  side 
of  the  Ohio  River.  If  you  are  in  town  to-morrow 
morning,  I'll  put  you  to  work  on  the  fortifications, 
and  keep  you  there  till  the  end  of  the  war.  Get  out 
of  my  office  at  once." 

Others  were  turned  away  with  similar  brusque- 
ness,  until  the  Deacon  was  in  despair;  but  the 
though  of  Si  on  a  bed  of  pain  nerved  him,  and  he 
kept  his  place  in  the  line  that  was  pushing  toward 
the  Provost's  desk. 

Suddenly  the  Provost  looked  over  those  in  front 
of  him,  and  fixing  his  eye  on  the  Deacon,  called  out : 

"Well,  my  friend,  come  up  here.  What  can  I  do 
for  you?" 

The  Deacon  was  astonished,  but  in  obedience  to 
a  gesture  from  the  Prvost,  left  the  line,  and  came 
up. 

"What's  your  name?  Where  are  you  from ?  What 
are  you  doing  down  here?  What  do  you  want?" 
inquired  the  Provost,  scanning  him  critically. 

The  Deacon's  eyes  met  his  boldly,  and  he  answered 
the  questions  categorically. 

"Well,  Mr.  Klegg,  you  shall  have  a  pass  at  once, 
and  I  sincerely  hope  that  you  will  find  your  son  re 
covering.  You  probably  do  not  remember  me,  but  I 
have  seen  you  before,  when  I  was  on  the  circuit  in 
Indiana.  My  clerk  there  is  writing  out  a  pass  for 
you.  You  will  have  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance, 
and  sign  the  paper,  which  I  suppose  you  have  no  ob 
jection  to  doing." 

"None  in  the  world,"  answered  the  Deacon,  sur- 


236  SI    KLEGG. 

prised  at  the  unexpected  turn  of  events.  "I'll  be 
only  too  glad.  I  was  gittin'  very  scared  about  my 
pass." 

"0,  I  have  hard  work  here,"  said  the  Provost 
smiling,  "in  separating  the  sheep  from  the  goats, 
but  I'm  now  getting  to  know  the  goats  tolerably  well. 
There's  you're  pass,  Deacon.  A  pleasant  journey, 
and  a  happy  termination  to  it." 

The  Deacon  took  out  his  long  calf-skin  wallet  from 
his  breast,  put  the  precious  pass  in  it,  carefully 
strapped  it  up  again  and  replaced  it,  and  walked  out 
of  the  office  toward  the  depot. 

He  had  gone  but  a  few  steps  from  the  building 
when  he  saw  the  man  who  had  been  ordered  out  of 
the  city  by  the  Provost,  and  who  seemed  to  be  on  the 
lookout  for  the  Deacon.  He  came  up,  greeted  the 
Deacon  effusively  and  shook  hands. 

"You're  from  Posey  County,  Ind.,  I  believe?  I 
used  to  live  there  myself.  Know  Judge  Drake  ?" 

"Very  well,"  answered  the  Deacon  a  little  stiffly, 
for  he  was  on  his  guard  against  cordial  stragers. 

"You  do;"  said  the  stranger  warmly.  "Splendid 
man.  Great  lawyer.  Fine  judge.  I  had  a  great 
deaLto  do  with  hfrn  at  one  time." 

"Probably  he  had  a  great  deal  to  do  with  you," 
thought  the  Deacon.  "He  was  a  terror  to  evil-doers." 

"Say,  my  friend,"  said  the  stranger  abruptly,  "you 
got  a  pass.  I  couldn't.  That  old  rascal  of  a  Provost- 
Marshal's  down  on  me  because  I  wouldn't  let  him 
into  a  speculation  with  me.  He's  on  the  make  every 
time,  and  wants  to  hog  everything.  Say,  you're  a 
sly  one.  You  worked  him  fine  on  that  wounded  son 
racket.  I  think  I'd  like  to  tie  to  you.  I'll  make  it 


A   DISTURBING    MESSAGE. 


237 


worth  your  while  to  turn  over  that  pass  to  me.  It'll 
fit  me  just  as  well  as  it  does  you.  I'll  give  you  $50 
to  let  me  use  that  pass  just  two  days,  and  then  I'll 
return  it  to  you." 

"Why,  you're  crazy,"  gasped  the  Deacon. 

"0,  come  6*ff,  now,"  said  the  other  impatiently. 
"Business  is  business.  I  haint  no  time  to  waste.  It's 


"PAP,   IS   THAT  YOU?"  SAID  A  WEAK  VOICE. 

more'n  it's  worth  to  me,  but  I'll  make  it  $100,  and 
agree  to  be  back  on  this  spot  to-morrow  night  with 
your  pass.  You  can't  make  $100  as  easy  any  other 
way." 

"I  tell  you,  you're  crazy,"  said  the  Deacon  with 
rising  indignation.     "You  can't  have  that  pass  for 


238  SI    KLEGG. 

no  amount  o'  money.  I'm  goin'  to  see  my  wounded 
son." 

"That's  a  good  enough  gag  for  the  Provost,  but  I 
understand  you,  in  spite  of  your  hayseed  airs.  Say, 
I'll  make  it  $250." 

"I  tell  you,  you  old  fool,"  said  the  Deacon  angrily, 
"I  won't  sell  that  pass  for  a  mint  o'  money.  Even  if 
I  wasn't  goin'  to  see  my  son  I  wouldn't  let  you  have 
it  under  any  circumstances,  to  use  in  your  traitorous 
business.  Let  go  o'  my  coat,  if  you  know  what's 
good  for  you." 

"Now,  look  here,"  said  the  stranger;  "I've  made 
you  a  mighty  fair  proposition — more'n  the  pass's 
worth  to  you.  If  you  don't  accept  it  you'll  wish  you 
had.  I'm  onto  you.  I'll  go  right  back  to  the  Provost 
and  let  out  on  you.  I  know  enough  to  settle  your 
hash  mighty  sudden.  Dou  you  hear  me?" 

It  was  very  near  train  time,  and  the  Deacon  was 
desperately  anxious  to  not  miss  the  train.  He  had 
already  wasted  more  words  on  this  man  than  he 
usually  did  on  those  he  didn't  like,  and  he  simply 
ended  the  colloquy  with  a  shove  that  sent  the  im 
pertinent  stranger  into  the  gutter  as  if  a  mule  had 
kicked  him  there,  hurried  on  to  the  depot,  and  man 
aged  to  get  on  just  as  the  train  was  moving  out. 

It  was  night,  and  he  dozed  in  his  seat  until  the 
train  reached  Bridgeport,  Ala.,  when  everybody  was 
turned  out  of  the  train,  and  a  general  inspection  of 
the  passengers  made. 

"Very  sorry  for  you,  sir,"  said  the  Lieutenant; 
"but  we  can't  let  you  go  on.  Your  pass  is  all  right 
up  to  this  point,  but  the  Commandant  at  Nashville 
has  no  authority  here.  Orders  are  very  strict 


A    DISTURBING    MESSAGE.  239 

against  any  more  civilians  coming  to  Chattanooga 
under  any  pretext.  Rations  are  very  short,  and 
there  is  danger  of  their  being  much  shorter,  with  the 
rebel  cavalry  slashing  around  everywhere  at  our 
cracker-line.  We  only  saved  two  bridges  to-night  by 
the  greatest  luck.  You'll  have  to  go  back  to  Nash 
ville  by  the  next  train." 

"0,  Mister  Lootenant,"  pleaded  the  Deacon,  with 
drops  of  sweat  on  his  brow.  "Please  let  me  go  on. 
My  only  son  lays  there  in  Chattanooga,  a-dyin'  for 
all  I  know.  He's  bin  a  good  soldier.  Ask  anybody 
that  knows  the  200th  Injianny,  and  they'll  tell  you 
that  there  ain't  no  better  soldier  in  the  regiment  than 
Corporal  Si  Klegg.  You've  a  father  yourself.  Think 
how  he'd  feel  if  you  was  layin'  in  a  hospital  at  the 
pint  o'  death,  and  him  not  able  to  git  to  you.  You'll 
let  me  go  on,  I  know  you  will.  It  aint  in  you  to  re 
fuse." 

"I  feel  awful  sorry  for  you  sir,"  said  the  Lieuten 
ant,  much  moved.  "And  if  I  had  it  in  my  power  you 
should  go.  But  I  have  got  my  orders,  and  I  must 
obey  them.  I  musn't  allow  anybody  not  actually  be 
longing  to  the  army  to  pass  on  across  the  river  on 
the  train." 

"I'll  walk  every  step  o'  the  way,  if  you'll  let  me 
go  on,"  said  the  Deacon. 

"I  tell  you  what  you  might  do,"  said  the  Lieuten 
ant  suggestively.  "It  isn't  a  great  ways  over  the 
mountains  to  Chattanooga.  There's  a  herd  of  cattle 
starting  over  there.  The  Lieutenant  in  charge  is  a 
friend  of  mine.  I'll  speak  to  him  to  let  you  go  along 
as  a  helper.  It'll  be  something  of  a  walk  for  you, 


240  SI   KLEGG. 

but  it's  the  best  I  can  do.  You'll  get  in  there  some 
time  to-morrow." 

"P'int  out  your  friend  to  me,  and  let  me  go  as 
quick  as  I  kin." 

"All  right,"  said  the  Lieutenant  in  charge  of  the 
herd,  when  the  circumstances  were  explained  to  him. 
"Free  passes  over  my  road  to  Chattanooga  are 
barred.  Everybody  has  to  work  his  way.  But  I'll 
see  that  you  get  there,  if  Joe  Wheeler's  cavalry  don't 
interfere.  We  are  going  over  in  the  dark  to  avoid 
them.  You  can  put  your  carpet-bag  in  that  wagon 
there.  Report  to  the  Herd-Boss  there." 

"You  look  like  a  man  of  sense,"  said  the  Herd- 
Boss,  looking  him  over,  and  handing  him  a  hickory 
gad.  "And  I  believe  you're  all  right.  I'm  goin'  to 
put  you  at  the  head,  just  behind  the  guide.  Keep  your 
eye  peeled  for  rebel  cavalry  and  bushwhackers,  and 
stop  and  whistle  for  me  if  you  see  anything  sus 
picious." 

It  was  slow,  toilsome  work  urging  the  lumbering 
cattle  along  over  the  steep,  tortuous  mountain  paths. 
Naturally,  the  nimblest,  friskiest  steers  got  in  the 
front,  and  they  were  a  sore  trial  to  the  Deacon,  to 
restrain  them  to  the  line  of  march,  and  keep  them 
from  straying  off  and  getting  lost.  Of  course,  a 
Deacon  in  the  Baptist  Church  could  not  swear  under 
any  provocation,  but  the  way  he  remarked  on  the 
conduct  of  some  of  the  "critters"  as  "dumbed,"  "con 
founded,"  and  "tormented,"  had  almost  as  vicious  a 
ring  as  the  profuse  profanity  of  his  fellow-herders. 

Late  in  the  afternoon  the  tired-out  herd  was 
halted  in  a  creek  bottom  near  Chattanooga.  The 
patient  animals  lay  down,  and  the  weary,  footsore 


A  DISTURBING   MESSAGE.  241 

Deacon,  his  clothes  covered  with  burs,  his  hands  and 
face  seamed  with  bloody  scratches,  leaned  on  his 
frayed  gad  and  looked  around  over  the  wilderness. 
of  tents,  cabins,  trains  and  interminable  lines  of 
breastworks  and  forts. 

"Mr.  Klegg,"  said  the  Herd-Boss,  coming  toward 
him,  "you've  done  your  duty,  and  you've  done  it 
well.  I  don't  know  how  I  could've  ever  got  this  lot- 
through  but  for  your  help.  Here's  your  carpet-sack, 
and  here's  a  fe&versack  o'  rations  I've  put  up  for  you. 
Take  mighty  good  care  of  it,  for  you'll  need  every 
cracker.  That  lot  o'  tents  you  see  over  there,  with 
a  yaller  flag  flyin'  over  'em,  is  a  general  hospital. 
Mebbe  you'll  find  your  son  in  there." 

The  Deacon  walked  straight  to  the  nearest  tent, 
lifted  the  flap  and  inquired : 

"Does  anybody  here  know  where  there  is  a  boy 
named  Si  Klegg,  of  Co.  Q,  200th  Injianny  Volun 
teers?" 

"Pap,  is  that  you?"  said  a  weak  voice  in  the  far 
corner. 

"Great,  jumpin'  Jehosephat,  the  Deacon!"  ejacu 
lated  a  tall  skeleton  of  a  man,  who  was  holding  a  cup 
of  coffee  to  Si's  lips. 

"Great  Goodness,  Shorty,"  said  the  Deacon,  "is 
that  you?" 

"What's  left  o'  me,"  answered  Shorty. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


TEDIOUS    CONVALESCENCE — THE   DEACON    COMMITS    A 
CRIME  AGAINST  HIS  CONSCIENCE. 

44"\7OU  are  the  father  of  that  boy  in  the  far 
J[  end  of  the  tent,"  said  the  Surgeon  com 
ing  up  to  the  Deacon,  who  had  stepped 
outside  of  the  tent  to  get  an  opportunity  to  think 
clearly.  "I'm  very  glad  you  have  come,  for  his  life 
hangs  by  a  thread.  That  thread  is  his  pluck,  aided 
by  a  superb  constitution.  Most  men  would  have 
died  on  the  field  from  such  a  wound.  Medicine  can 
do  but  little  for  him;  careful  nursing  much  more; 
but  his  own  will  and  your  presence  and  encourage 
ment  will  do  far  more  than  either." 

"How  about  Shorty?"  inquired  the  Deacon. 

"Shorty's  all  right  if  he  don't  get  a  setback. 
The  danger  from  the  blow  on  his  head  is  pretty 
near  past,  if  something  don't  come  in  to  make 
further  complications.  He  has  been  pulled  down 
pretty  badly  by  the  low  fever  which  has  been  epi 
demic  here  since  we  have  settled  down  in  camp,  but 
he  seems  to  be  coming  out  from  it  all  right." 

"I've  come  down  here  to  do  all  that's  possible 
for  these  two  boys.  Now,  how  kin  I  best  do  it?" 
asked  the  Deacon. 

"You  can  do  good  by  helping  nurse  them.  You 
could  do  much  more  good. if  there  was  more  to  do 
with,  but  we  lack  almost  everything  for  the  proper 


TEDIOUS    CONVALESCENCE.  243 

care  of  the  wounded  and  sick.  We  have  15,000  men 
in  hospital  here,  and  not  supplies  enough  for  3,000. 
When  we  will  get  more  depends  on  just  what  luck 
our  cavalry  has  in  keeping  the  rebels  off  our  line 
of  supplies." 

"Show  me  what  to  do,  give  me  what  you  kin,  and 
I'll  trust  in  the  Lord  and  my  own  efforts  for  the 
rest." 

"Yes,  and  you  kin  count  on  me  to  assist,"  chimed 
in  Shorty,  who  had  come  up.  "I  won't  -let  you 
play  lone  hand  long,  Deacon,  for  I'm  gittin'  chirpier 
every  day.  If  I  could  only  fill  up  good  and  full  once 
more  on  hardtack  and  pork,  or  some  sich  luxuries, 
I'd  be  as  good  as  new  agin." 

"You  mean  you'd  be  put  to  bed  under  three  feet 
of  red  clay,  if  you  were  allowed  to  eat  all  you  want 
to,"  said  the  Surgeon.  "There's  where  the  wind 
is  tempered  to  the  shorn  lamb.  If  you  could  eat  as 
much  as  you  want  to  eat,  I  should  speedily  have  to 
bid  good-by  to  you.  For  the  present,  Mr.  Klegg, 
do  anything  that  suggests  itself  to  you  to  make 
these  men  comfortable.  I  need  scarcely  caution  you 
to  be  careful  about  their  food,  for  there  is  nothing 
that  you  can  get  hold  of  to  over-feed  them.  But 
you'd  better  not  let  them  have  anything  to  eat  until 
I  come  around  again  and  talk  to  you  more  fully. 
I  put  them  in  your  charge." 

The  Deacon's  first  thought  was  for  Si,  and  he 
bestirred  himself  to  do  what  he  thought  his  wife, 
who  was  renowned  as  a  nurse,  would  do  were  she 
there. 

He  warmed  some  water,  and  tenderly  as  he  could 
command  his  strong,  stubby  hands,  washed  Si's 


244  SI    KLEGG. 

face,  hands  and  feet,  and  combed  his  hair.  The 
overworked  hospital  attendants  had  had  no  time  for 
this  much-needed  ministration.  It  was  all  that  they 
could  do  to  get  the  wounded  under  some  sort  of  shel 
ter,  to  dress  their  wounds,  and  prepare  food.  No 
well  man  could  be  spared  from  the  trenches  for 
hospital  service,  for  the  sadly-diminished  Army  of 
the  Cumberland  needed  every  man  who  could  carry 
a  musket  to  man  the  long  lines  to  repel  the  con 
stantly-threatened  assaults. 

The  removal  of  the  soil  and  grime  of  the  march 
and  battle  had  a  remarkably  vivifying  effect  upon 
Si.  New  life  seemed  to  pulse  through  his  veins 
and  brightness  return  to  his  eyes. 

"Makes  me  feel  like  a  new  man,  Pap,"  he  said 
faintly.  "Feels  better  than  anything  I  ever  knowed. 
Do  the  same  to  Shorty,  Pap." 

"Come  here,  Shorty,  you  dirty  little  rascal,"  said 
the  Deacon,  assuming  a  severely  maternal  tone,  at 
which  Si  laughed  feebly  but  cheerily,  "and  let  me 
wash  your  face  and  comb  your  hair." 

Shorty  demurred  a  little  at  being  treated  like  a 
boy,  and  protested  that  he  could  wash  himself,  if 
the  Deacon  would  get  him  some  warm  water;  but 
he  saw  that  the  conceit  amused  Si,  and  submitted  to 
having  the  Deacon  give  him  a  scrubbing  with  a 
soapy  rag,  giving  a  yell  from  time  to  time,  in  imita 
tion  of  an  urchin  undergoing  an  unwilling  ablution. 
Si  turned  his  head  so  as  to  witness  the  operation, 
and  grinned  throughout  it. 

"I  think  you'd  both  feel  still  better  if  you  could 
have  your  hair  cut,"  said  the  Deacon,  as  he  fiuished 
and  looked  from  one  to  the  other.  "Your  hair's  too 


TEDIOUS    CONVALESCENCE.  245 

long  for  sick  people,  and  it  makes  you  look  sicker'n 
you  really  are.  But  I  hain't  got  no  shears." 

"I  know  I'd  feel  better  if  I  was  sheared,"  said 
Shorty.  "Hain't  neither  of  us  had  our  hair  cut 
since  we  started  on  the  Tullyhomy  campaign,  and 
I  think  I  look  like  the  Wild  Man  from  Borneo.  I 
think  I  know  a  feller  that  has  a  pair  o'  shears  that 
I  kin  borry." 

The  shears  were  found  and  borrowed.  Then  en 
sued  a  discussion  as  to  the  style  of  the  cut.  The 
boys  wanted  their  hair  taken  off  close  to  their 
heads,  'but  the  Deacon  demurred  to  this  for  fear 
they  would  catch  cold. 

"No,  Si,"  he  said;  "I'm  goin'  to  cut  your  hair 
jest  like  your  mother  used  to.  She  used  to  tie  one  of 
her  garters  from  your  forehead  down  across  your 
ears,  and  cut  off  all  the  hair  that  stuck  out.  I 
hain't  any  garter,  but  I  guess  I  kin  find  a  string 
that'll  do  jest  as  well." 

"There,"  said  the  Deacon,  as  he  finished  shear 
ing  off  the  superabundant  hair,  and  surveyed  the 
work.  "That  ain't  as  purty  a  job  as  if  your 
mother'd  done  it,  but  you'll  feel  lighter  and  cleaner, 
and  be  healthier.  If  hair  was  only  worth  as  much 
as  wool  is  now,  I'd  have  enough  to  pay  me  for  the 
job.  But  I  must  clean  it  up  keerfully  and  burn  it, 
that  the  birds  mayn't  git  hold  of  it  and  give  you 
the  headache." 

The  Deacon  had  his  little  superstitions,  like  a 
great  many  other  hard-headed,  sensible  men. 

"Well,  Mr.  Klegg,"  said  the  Surgeon,  when  he 
made  his  next  round,  "I  must  congratulate  you  on 
your  patients.  Both  show  a  remarkable  improve- 


246  SI    KLEGG. 

ment.  You  ought  to  apply  for  a  diploma,  and  go 
into  the  practice  of  medicine.  You  have  done  more 
for  them  in  the  two  or  three  hours  than  I  have  been 
able  to  do  in  as  many  weeks.  If  you  could  only 
keep  up  this  pace  awhile  I  would  be  able  to  reurn 
them  to  duty  very  soon.  I  have  an  idea.  Do  you 
see  that  corn-crib  over  there?" 

"The  one  built  of  poles  ?    Yes." 

"Well,  I  have  some  things  stored  there,  and  I  have 
been  able  to  hold  it  so  far  against  the  soldiers, 
who  are  snatching  every  stick  of  wood  they  can 
find,  for  their  cabins,  or  for  the  breastworks,  or 
firewood.  I  don't  know  how  long  I'll  be  able  to 
keep  it,  unless  I  have  personal  possession.  I  be 
lieve  you  can  make  it  into  a  comfortable  place  for 
these  two  men.  That  will  help  them,  you  can  be 
by  yourselves,  you  can  take  care  of  my  things,  and 
it  will  relieve  the  crowd  in  the  tent." 

"Splendid  idea,"  warmly  assented  the  Deacon. 
"I'll  chink  and  daub  it,  and  make  it  entirely  com 
fortable,  and  fix  up  bunks  in  it  for  the  boys.  I 
know  they'll  be  delighted  at  the  change.  I  wonder 
where  Shorty  is?" 

The  Deacon  had  just  remembered  that  he  had  not 
seen  that  individual  for  some  little  time,  and  looked 
around  for  him  with  some  concern.  It  was  well 
that  he  did.  Shorty  had  come  across  the  haversack 
that  the  Deacon  had  brought,  and  it  awakened  all 
his  old  predatory  instincts,  sharpened,  if  anything, 
by  his  feebleness.  Without  saying  a  word  to  any 
body,  he  had  employed  the  time  while  the  Surgeon 
and  Deacon  were  in  conversation  in  preparing  one 
of  his  customary  gorges  after  a  long,  hard  march. 


TEDIOUS    CONVALESCENCE.  247 

He  had  broken  up  the  crackers  into  a  tin-cup  of 
water  which  sat  by  his  side,  while  he  was  frying 
out  pieces  of  fat  pork  in  a  half-canteen. 

"My  goodness,  man !"  shouted  the  Deacon,  spring 
ing  toward  him.  "Are  you  crazy?  If  you  eat  that 
mess  you'll  be  dead  before  morning." 

He  sprang  toward  him,  snatched  the  half -canteen 
from  his  hand,  and  threw  its  contents  on  the  ground. 

"That  stuff's  not  fit  to  put  into  an  ostrich's  stom 
ach,"  he  said.  "Mr.  Klegg,  you  will  have  to  watch 
this  man  very  carefully." 

"Can't  I  have  none  of  it  to  eat?"  said  Shorty,  de 
jectedly,  with  tears  of  weakness  and  longing  in  his 
eyes. 

"Not  a  mouthful  of  that  stuff,"  said  the  Surgeon; 
"but  you  may  eat  some  of  those  crackers  you  have 
soaked  there.  Mr.  Klegg,  let  him  eat  about  half 
of  those  crackers — no  more." 

Shorty  looked  as  if  the  whole  world  had  lost  its 
charms.  "Hardtack  without  grease's  no  more  taste 
than  chips,"  he  murmured. 

"Never  mind,  Shorty,"  said  the  Deacon,  pityingly ; 
"I'll  manage  to  find  you  something  that'll  be  better 
for  you  than  that  stuff." 

The  Surgeon  had  the  boys  carried  over  to  the 
corncrib,  and  the  Deacon  went  to  work  to  make  it  as 
snug  as  possible.  All  the  old  training  of  his  pio 
neer  days — when  literally  with  his  own  hands,  and 
with  the  rudest  materials,  he  had  built  a  comfort 
able  cabin  in  the  wilderness  of  the  Wabash  bot 
toms  for  his  young  wife — came  back  to  him.  He 
could  not  see  a  brick,  a  piece  of  board,  a  stick,  or 
a  bit  of  iron  anywhere  without  the  thought  that 


248  SI   KLEGG. 

it  might  be  made  useful,  and  carrying  it  off.  As 
there  were  about  40,000  other  men  around  the  lit 
tle  village  of  Chattanooga  with  similar  inclina 
tions,  the  Deacon  had  need  of  all  his  shrewdness 
in  securing  coveted  materials,  but  it  was  rare  that 
anybody  got  ahead  of  him.  He  rearranged  and 
%  patched  the  clapboards  on  the  roof  until  it  was  per 
fectly  rain-tight,  chinked  up  the  spaces  between  the 
poles  with  stones,  corncobs  and  pieces  of  wood,  and 
plastered  over  the  outside  with  clay,  until  the  walls 
were  draft  proof.  He  hung  up  an  old  blanket  for 
a  door,  and  hired  a  teamster  to  bring  in  a  load  of 
silky-fine  beech  leaves  which,  when  freshly  fallen, 
make  a  bed  that  cannot  be  surpassed.  These,  by 
spreading  blankets  over  them,  made  very  comfort 
able  couches  for  Si,  Shorty  and  himself. 

Then  the  great  problem  became  one  of  proper 
food  for  the  boys.  Daily  the  rations  were  grow 
ing  shorter  in  Chattanooga,  and  if  they  had  been 
plentiful  they  were  not  suited  to  the  delicate  stom 
achs  of  those  seriously  ill.  Si  was  slowly  improving, 
but  the  Deacon  felt  that  the  thing  necessary  to  carry 
him  over  the  breakers  and  land  him  safely  on  the 
shores  of  recovery  was  nourishing  food  that  he 
could  relish. 

He  had  anxiously  sought  the  entire  length  of  the 
camp  for  something  of  that  kind.  He  had  visited 
all  the  sutlers,  and  canvassed  the  scanty  stocks  in 
the  few  stores  in  Chattanooga.  He  had  bought  the 
sole  remaining  can  of  tomatoes  at  a  price  which 
would  have  almost  bought  the  field  in  which  the 
tomatoes  were  raised,  and  he  had  turned  over  the 
remnant  lots  of  herring,  cheese,  etc.,  he  found  at 


TEDIOUS    CONVALESCENCE.  249 

the  sutler's,  with  despair  at  imagining  any  sort 
of  way  in  which  they  could  be  worked  up  to  become 
appetizing  and  assimilative  to  Si's  stomach. 

"What  you  and  Si  needs,"  he  would  say  to  Shorty, 
"is  chicken  and  fresh  'taters.  If  you  could  have 
a  good  mess  of  chicken  and  'taters  every  day  you'd 
come  up  like  Spring  shoats.  I  declare  I'd  give  that 
crick  bottom  medder  o'  mine,  which  hasn't  it's  beat 
on  the  Wabash,  to  have  mother's  coopful  o'  chickens 
here  this  minute." 

But  a  chicken  was  no  more  to  be  had  in  Chatta 
nooga  than  a  Delmonico  banquet.  The  table  of  the 
Major-General  commanding  the  Army  of  the  Cum 
berland  might  have  a  little  more  hardtack  and  pork 
on  it  than  appeared  in  the  tents  of  the  privates, 
and  be  cooked  a  little  better,  but  it  had  nothing  but 
hardtack  and  pork. 

The  Deacon  made  excursions  into  the  country,  and 
even  ran  great  risks  from  the  rebel  pickets  and 
bushwhackers,  in  search  of  chickens.  But  the  coun 
try  had  been  stripped,  by  one  side  or  the  other,  of 
everything  eatable,  and  the  people  that  remained  in 
their  cheerless  homes  were  dependent  upon  what 
they  could  get  from  the  United  States  Commissary. 

One  day  he  found  the  Herd-Boss  in  camp,  and 
poured  forth  his  troubles  to  him.  The  Herd-Boss 
sympathized  deeply  with  him,  and  cudgeled  his 
brains  for  a  way  to  help. 

"I'll  tell  you  what  you  might  do,"  he  said  at 
length,  "if  you  care  to  take  the  risk.  We're  goin' 
back  with  some  teams  to  Bridgeport  to-morrow 
mornin'.  You  might  git  in  one  of  the  wagons  and 
ride  back  10  or  15  miles  to  a  little  valley  that  I 


250  SI    KLEGG. 

remember  that's  there,  and  which  I  think  looks  like 
it  hain't  bin  foraged.  I  was  thinkin'  as  we  come 
through  the  other  day  that  I  might  git  something 
goo'd  to  eat  up  there,  and  I'd  try  it  some  day.  No 
body  seems  to  've  noticed  it  yit.  But  it  may  be 
chock  full  o'  rebels,  for  all  I  know,  and  a  feller 
git  jumped  the  moment  he  sets  foot  in  it." 

"I'll  take  my  chances,"  said  the  Deacon.  "I'll  go 
along  with  you  to-morrer  mornin'." 

The  Deacon  found  that  a  ride  in  a  wagon  was  not 
such  an  unqualified  favor  as  he  might  have  thought. 
The  poor,  half -fed,  overworked  mules  went  so  slowly 
that  the  Deacon  could  make  better  time  walking, 
and  he  was  too  merciful  to  allow  them  to  pull  him  up 
hill. 

The  result  was  that,  with  helping  pry  the  stalled 
wagons  out  and  work  in  making  the  roads  more 
passable,  the  Deacon  expended  more  labor  than  if 
he  had  started  out  to  walk  in  the  first  place. 

It  was  late  in  the  afternoon  when  the  Herd-Boss 
said: 

"There,  you  take  that  path  to  the  right,  and  in 
a  little  ways  you'll  come  out  by  a  purty  good  house. 
I  hain't  seen  any  Johnnies  around  in  this  neigh 
borhood  since  I've  bin  travelin'  this  route,  but  you'd 
better  keep  your  eye  peeled,  all  the  same.  If  you 
see  any,  skip  back  to  the  road  here,  and  wait  awhile. 
Somebody  '11  be  pasSin'  before  long." 

Thanking  him,  the  Deacon  set  out  for  the  house, 
hoping  to  be  able  to  reach  it,  get  some  fowls,  and 
be  back  to  Chattanooga  before  morning.  If  he  got 
the  chickens,  he  felt  sanguine  that  he  could  save 
Si's  life. 


TEDIOUS    CONVALESCENCE.  251 

He  soon  came  in  sight  of  the  house,  the  only  one, 
apparently,  for  miles,  and  scanned  it  carefully. 
There  were  no  men  to  be  seen,  though  the  house 
appeared  to  be  inhabited.  He  took  another  look  at 
the  heavy  revolver  which  he  had  borrowed  from  the 
Surgeon,  and  carried  ready  for  use  in  the  pocket 
of  Si's  overcoat,  and  began  a  strategic  advance,  keep 
ing  well  out  of  sight  under  the  cover  of  the  sumachs 
lining  the  fences. 

Still  he  saw  no  one,  and  finally  he  became  so  bold 
as  to  leave  his  covert  and  walk  straight  to  the 
front  door.  A  dozen  dogs  charged  at  him  with  a 
wild  hullabaloo,  but  he  had  anticipated  this,  and 
picked  up  a  stout  hickory  switch  in  the  road,  which 
he  wielded  with  his  left  hand  with  so  much  effect 
that  they  ran  howling  back  under  the  house.  He 
kept  his  right  hand  firmly  grasping  his  revolver. 

An  old  man  and  his  wife  appeared  at  the  door; 
both  of  them  shoved  back  their  spectacles  until 
they  rested  on  the  tops  of  their  heads,  and  scanned 
him  searchingly.  The  old  woman  had  a  law-book 
in  her  hand,  and  the  old  man  a  quill  pen.  She  had 
evidently  been  reading  to  him,  and  he  copying. 

The  old  man  called  out  to  him  imperiously : 

"Heah,  stranger,  who  air  yo'?  An'  what  d'yo' 
want?" 

The  tone  was  so  harsh  and  repellant  that  the 
Deacon  thought  that  he  would  disarm  hostility  by 
announcing  himself  a  plain  citizen,  like  themselves. 
So  he  replied: 

"I'm  a  farmer,  and  a  citizen  from  Injianny,  and 
I  want  to  buy  some  chickens  for  my  son,  who's 
sick  in  the  hospital  at  Chattanoogy." 


252  SI    KLEGG. 

"Injianny!"  sneered  the  old  man.  "Meanest  peo 
ple  in  the  world  live  in  Injianny.  Settled  by  scala 
wags  that  we'uns  run  outen  Tennessee  bekase  they- 
'uns  wuz  too  onery  to  live  heah." 

"Citizen!"  echoed  the  woman.  "They'uns  heap 
sight  wuss'n  the  soldjers.  Teamsters,  gamblers, 
camp-followers,  thieves,  that'll  steal  the  coppers 
off  en  a  dead  man's  eyes.  I  had  a  sister  that  married 
a  man  that  beat  her,  and  then  run  off  to  Injianny, 
leavin'  her  with  six  children  to  support.  All  the 
mean  men  go  to  Injianny.  Cl'ar  out.  We  don't  want 
nobody  'round  heah,  and  specially  no  Injiannians. 
They'uns  is  a  pizun  lot." 

"Yes,  cl'ar  out  immejitly,"  commanded  the  old 
man.  "I'm  a  Jestice  of  the  Peace,  and  ef  you  don't 
go  to  wunst  I'll  find  a  way  to  make  yo'.  We've  a 
law  agin  able-bodied  vagrants.  Cl'ar  out,  now." 

"Come,  have  a  little  sense,"  said  the  Deacon,  not 
a  little  roiled  at  the  abuse  of  his  State.  "I'm  just 
as  respectable  a  man  as  you  dare  be.  I  never  stole 
anything.  I've  bin  all  my  life  a  regler  member  o' 
the  Baptist  Church — strict,  close-communion,  total- 
immersion  Baptists.  All  I  want  o'  you  is  to  buy 
some  o'  them  chickens  there,  and  I'll  give  you  a 
fair  price  for  'em.  No  use  o'  your  flaring  up  over 
a  little  matter  o'  bizniss." 

"I  don't  believe  a  word  of  hit,"  said  the  woman, 
who  yet  showed  that  she  was  touched  by  the  allu 
sion  to  the  Baptist  Church,  as  the  Deacon  had  calcu 
lated,  for  most  of  the  people  of  that  section  pro 
fessed  to  be  of  that  denomination.  "What'll  yo'  gi' 
me  for  them  chickens?" 

The  bargaining  instinct  arose  in  the   Deacon's 


TEDIOUS    CONVALESCENCE. 


253 


mind,  but  he  repressed  it.    He  had  no  time  to  waste. 
He  would  make  an  offer  that  at  home  would  be  con 
sidered  wildly  extravagant,   close  the  business   at 
once  and  get  back  to  Chattanooga.    He  said : 
"I'll  give  you  a  dollar  apiece  for  five." 


"HE     TOOK     ANOTHER     LOOK     AT     HIS     HEAVY 
REVOLVER." 

"Humph,"  said  the  woman  contemptuously.  "I 
don't  sell  them  for  no  dollar  apiece.  They'uns  's  all 
we  got  to  live  on  now.  If  I  sell  'em  I  must  git 
somethin'  that'll  go  jest  as  fur.  You  kin  have  'em 
at  $5  apiece." 


254  SI    KLEGG. 

"Betsy,"  remonstrated  the  old  man,  "I'm  afeard 
this  's  wrong,  and  as  a  Magistrate  I  shouldn't  allow 
hit.  Hit's  traffickin'  with  the  inemy." 

"No,  hit  hain't,"  she  asserted.  "He's  not  a  soljer. 
He's  a  citizen,  and  don't  belong  to  the  army.  Be 
sides,  he's  a  Baptist,  and  hit  hain't  so  bad  as  ef  he 
wuz  a  Presbyterian,  or  a  shoutin'  Methodist.  Most 
of  all,  I'm  nearly  dead  for  some  coffee,  and  I  know 
whar  I  kin  git  a  pound  o'  rayle  coffee  for  $10." 

The  Deacon  had  been  pondering.  To  his  thrifty 
mind  it  seemed  like  a  waste  to  give  a  crisp,  new  $5 
bill  for  such  an  insignificant  thing  as  a  chicken. 
Like  Indiana  farmers  of  his  period,  he  regarded  such 
things  as  chickens,  eggs,  butter,  etc.,  as  "too  trifling 
for  full-grown  men  to  bother  about.  They  were 
wholly  women-folks'  truck."  He  fingered  the  bills 
in  his  bosom,  and  thought  how  many  bushels  of 
wheat  and  pounds  of  pork  they  represented.  Then 
he  thought  of  Si  in  the  hospital,  and  how  a  little 
chicken  broth  would  build  him  up.  Out  came  five 
new  $5  bills. 

"Here's  your  money,"  he  said,  thumbing  over  the 
bills  clumsily  and  regretfully. 

The  old  woman  lowered  her  spectacles  from  the 
top  of  her  head,  and  scrutinized  them. 

"What's  them?"  she  asked  suspiciously. 

"Why,  them's  greenbacks — Government  money — 
the  very  best  kind,"  explained  the  Deacon.  "You 
can't  have  no-  better'n  that." 

"Don't  tech  hit!  Don't  have  nothin'  to  do  with 
it!"  shouted  the  old  man.  "Hit's  high  treason  to 
take  Federal  money.  Law's  awful  severe  about  that. 
Not  less'n  one  year,  nor  more'n  20  in  the  peniten- 


TEDIOUS    CONVALESCENCE.  255 

tiary,  for  a  citizen,  and  death  for  a  soljer,  to  be 
ketched  dealin'  in  the  inemy's  money.  I  kin  turn 
yo'  right  to  the  law.  Ole  man,  take  yo'  money  and 
cl'ar  off  the  place  immejitly.  Go  out  and  gather  up 
yo'  chickens,  Betsy,  and  fasten  'em  in  the  coop.  Go 
away,  sah,  'or  I  shell  blow  the  horn  for  help." 

"I  wuz  talkin'  'bout  Confederit  money,"  said  the 
woman,  half  apologetically.  "I  wouldn't  tech  that 
'ere  stuff  with  a  soap-stick.  Yo'd  better  git  away 
as  quick  as  yo'  kin  ef  yo'  know  what's  good  for  yo'." 

She  went  into  the  yard  to  gather  up  her  flock, 
and  the  Deacon  walked  back  into  the  road.  When 
out  of  sight  he  sat  down  on  a  rock  to  meditate. 
There  was  not  another  house  in  sight  anywhere, 
and  it  was  rapidly  growing  dark.  If  he  went  to  an 
other  house  he  would  probably  have  the  same  experi 
ence.  He  had  set  his  heart  on  having  those  chickens, 
and  he  was  a  pretty  stubborn  man.  Somehow,  in 
spite  of  himself,  he  parted  the  bushes  and  looked 
through  to  see  where  the  woman  was  housing  her 
fowls,  and  noted  that  it  was  going  to  be  very  dark. 
Then  he  blushed  vividly,  all  to  himself,  over  the 
thoughts  which  arose. 

"To  think  of  me,  a  Deacon  in  the  Baptist  Church, 
akchelly  meditatin'  about  goin'  to  another  man's 
coop  at  night  and  stealin'  his  chickens  ?  Could  Maria 
ever  be  made  to  believe  such  a  thing?  I  can't  be 
lieve  it  myself." 

Then  he  made  himself  think  of  all  the  other  ways 
in  which  he  might  get  chickens.  They  a}l  seemed 
impossible.  He  turned  again  to  those  in  the  coop. 

"Nothin*  but  measly  dunhills,  after  all — dear  at 
a  fip-and-a-bit,  and  yet  I  offered  her  a  dollar  apiece 


256  SI    KLEGG. 

for  'em.  If  she'd  bin  a  real  Christian  woman  she'd 
bin  glad  to  've  given  me  the  chickens  for  as  sick 
as  man  as  Si  is.  Gracious,  mother'd  give  every 
chicken  on  the  place,  if  it'd  help  a  sick  person,  and 
be  glad  o'  the  chance.  They're  both  tough  old  rebels, 
anyhow,  and  their  property  oughtter  be  confiscated." 

He  stopped  and  considered  the  morals  of  the  affair 
a  little  further,  and  somehow  the  idea  of  taking 
the  fowls  by  stealth  did  not  seem  so  abhorrent  as 
at  first.  Then,  everything  was  overslaughed  by 
the  thought  of  going  into  camp  with  the  precious 
birds,  of  cleaning  one  and  carefully  stewing  it,  mak 
ing  a  delicate,  fragrant  broth,  the  very  smell  of 
which  would  revive  Si,  and  every  spoonful  bring 
nourishment  and  strength. 

"Mebbe  the  army's  demoralizin'  me,"  he  said  to 
himself;  "but  I  believe  it's  a  work  o'  necessity  and 
mercy,  that  don't  stand  on  nice  considerations.  I'm 
goin'  to  have  five  o'  them  chickens,  or  know  the  rea 
son  why." 

As  has  been  before  remarked,  when  Deacon  Klegg 
made  up  his  mind  something  had  to  happen.  It 
was  now  quite  dark.  He  took  one  of  the  $5  bills 
out  of  his  breast  pocket  and  put  it  in  a  pocket  where 
it  would  be  handy.  He  looked  over  at  the  house, 
and  saw  the  old  man  and  woman  sitting  by  the  fire 
smoking.  He  picked  up  the  hickory  withe  to  keep 
off  the  dogs,  and  made  a  circuit  to  reach  the  chicken- 
coop  from  the  rear  of  the  house.  The  dogs  were 
quarreling  and  snarling  over  their  supper,  and  paid 
no  attention  to  him,  until  he  had  reached  the  coop, 
when  they  came  at  him  full  tilt. 

The  Deacon  dealt  the  foremost  ones  such  vicious 


TEDIOUS    CONVALESCENCE.  257 

blows  that  the  beasts  fell  as  if  they  had  been  cut 
in  two,  and  ran  howling  under  the  house.  With  a 
quickness  and  skill  that  would  have  done  credit  to 
any  veteran  in  the  army,  he  snatched  five  chickens 
from  their  roosts,  wrung  their  necks,  and  gathered 
them  in  his  left  hand.  Alarmed  by  the  noise  of 
the  barking  and  yelping,  the  old  couple  flung  open 
the  door  and  rushed  out  on  the  porch  with  shouts. 
The  open  door  threw  a  long  lane  of  bright  light  di 
rectly  on  the  Deacon. 

"Blow  the  horn,  granddad — blow  the  horn," 
screamed  the  woman.  Her  husband  snatched  the  tin 
horn  down  from  the  wall,  and  put  all  his  anger  into 
a  ringing  blast.  It  was  immediately  answered  by 
a  shot  from  a  distant  hill.  Still  holding  his  game 
in  his  left  hand,  the  Deacon  pulled  the  $5  bill  out 
of  his  pocket  with  his  right,  walked  up  to  the  porch, 
laid  it  at  the  woman's  feet  and  put  a  stone  on  it. 

"There's  full  pay  for  your  dumbed  old  dunghills, 
you  cantankerous  rebel,"  said  he,  as  he  disappeared 
into  the  darkness.  "Go  into  the  house  and  pray  that 
the  Lord  may  soften  your  heart,  which  is  harder 
than  Phaiaoh's,  until  you  have  some  Christian 
grace." 

When  he  reached  the  road  he  could  hear  the  sound 
of  hoofs  galloping  toward  the  house.  He  smiled 
grimly,  but  kept  under  the  shadow  of  the  trees  until 
he  reached  the  main  road  leading  to  Chattanooga, 
where  he  was  lucky  enough  to  find  a  train  making 
its  slow  progress  toward  the  town,  and  kept  with  it 
until  he  was  within  our  lines. 


CHAPTER  XX. 


STEWED  CHICKEN — THE  DEACON'S   CULINARY   OPERA 
TIONS  BRING  HIM  LOTS  OF  TROUBLE. 

THE  Deacon  reached  the  corn-crib  again  be 
fore  daylight,  and  found  Si  and  Shorty  fast 
asleep.  This  relieved  him  much,  for  he  had 
been  disturbed  with  apprehensions  of  what  might 
happen  them  while  he  was  gone.  Though  he  was 
more  tired,  it  seemed  to  him,  than  he  had  ever  been 
before  in  all  his  life,  yet  he  nerved  himself  up  to 
clean  and  cook  one  of  the  chickens,  so  as  to  give 
Si  a  delightful  surprise  when  he  awoke. 

The  Deacon  had  grown  so  wise  in  the  army  ways 
that  his  first  problem  was  how  to  hide  the  remaining 
four  fowls  until  he  should  need  them. 

"I'd  simply  be  mobbed,"  he  communed  with  him 
self,  "if  daylight  should  come,  and  show  me  with 
four  chickens  in  my  possession.  The  whole  Army 
o'  the  Cumberland  'd  jump  me  as  one  man,  and  I'd 
be  lucky  if  I  got  away  with  my  life.  Mebbe  even 
the  General  himself  'd  send  a  regiment  down  to 
take  the  things  away  from  me.  But  what  kin  I  do 
with  'em?  If  I  hang  'em  up  inside  the  corn-crib 
they'll  spile.  The  weather  is  cold  enough  to  keep 
'em  outside,  but  I'd  need  a  burglar-proof  safe  to 
hold  on  to  'em.  It's  just  awful  that  morals  are  so 
bad  in  the  army,  and  that  men  will  take  things  that 
don't  belong  to  'em." 


STEWED    CHICKEN.  259 

He  stopped  short,  for  there  arose  the  disturbing 
thought  as  to  just  how  he  himself  had  come  into 
possession  of  the  birds,  and  he  murmured: 

"  'Tain't  in  me  to  blame  'em.  What  is  't  the  Bible 
says  about  'Let  him  who  is  without  sin  cast  the 
first  stone?'  Certainly  I'm  not  the  man  to  be  heavin' 
dornicks  just  now.'* 

Mindful  of  past  experiences,  he  took  the  fowls  in 
one  hand,  when  he  went  down  to  the  branch  with 
a  camp-kettle  to  get  water.  He  washed  his  face 
and  hands  in  the  cold  water,  which  revived  him,  and 
returning,  built  a  fire  and  hung  the  kettle  over  it, 
while  he  carefully  picked  and  cleaned  one  of  the 
chickens  for  cooking.  Then  he  plucked  and  cleaned 
the  others,  and  burned  the  feathers  and  entrails  in 
the  fire. 

"Chicken  feathers  's  mighty  tell-tale  things,"  he 
said  to  himself.  "I  once  knowed  a  man  that  was 
finally  landed  in  the  penitentiary  because  he  didn't 
look  out  for  chicken  feathers.  He'd  bin  stealin' 
hosses,  and  was  hidin'  with  them  in  the  big  swamp, 
where  nobody  would  've  suspicioned  he  was,  if  he 
hadn't  stole  chickens  from  the  neighborhood  to  live 
on,  and  left  their  feathers  layin'  around  careless 
like,  n»d  some  boys,  who  thought  the  foxes  was 
killin'  the  chickens,  followed  up  the  trail  and  run 
onto  him." 

Then  a  bright  idea  occurred  to  him.  He  had  a 
piece  of  board,  which  he  laid  on  the  stones  that 
formed  the  foundation  of  one  end  of  the  crib,  im 
mediately  under  the  flooring,  and  on  this  shelf  he 
laid  the  other  chickens. 

"I  remember  that  Wash  Jenkins  that  we  arrested 


260  SI    KLEGG. 

for  counterfeitin'  had  hid  his  pile  o'  pewter  dollars 
in  the  underpinnin'  of  his  cabin,  and  we'd  never 
found  any  stuff  to  convict  him,  except  by  the  merest 
accident.  We  hunted  all  through  his  cabin,  below 
and  in  the  loft,  pulled  the  clapboards  off,  and  dug 
up  every  likely  place  in  the  yard,  and  just  about 
as  we  wuz  givin'  the  whole  thing  up,  somebody 
pulled  a  board  out  o'  the  underpinnin'  to  lay  in 
the  bed  o'  his  wagon,  and  the  bogus  dollars  run  out. 
Wash  made  shoes  for  the  State  down  at  Jefferson- 
ville  for  some  years  on  account  of  that  man  wantin' 
a  piece  o'  board  for  his  wagon-bed." 

But  the  astute  Deacon  had  overlooked  one  thing 
in  his  calculations.  The  crisp  morning  air  was  filled 
with  the  pungent  smell  of  burning  feathers  and 
flesh,  and  the  fragrance  of  stewing  chicken.  It 
reached  hungry  men  in  every  direction,  made  their 
mouths  water  and  their  minds  wonder  where  it 
could  come  from. 

First  came  a  famished  dog,  sniffing  and  nosing 
around.  His  appearance  filled  the  Deacon  with 
alarm.  Here  was  danger  to  his  hidden  stock  that 
he  had  not  thought  of.  He  took  his  resolution  at 
once.  Decoying  the  cur  near  him  he  fastened  a 
sinewy  hand  upon  his  neck,  cut  his  throat  with  his 
jack-knife,  and  dragged  the  carcass  some  distance 
away  from  the  corn-crib. 

"I'll  git  a  mattock  and  shovel  and  bury  it  after 
awhile,"  he  murmured  to  himself,  as  he  returned 
and  washed  his  hands.  "He's  settled  for  good,  any 
way.  He  won't  be  snoopin'  around  steal  in'  my 
chickens.  I  hope  there  hain't  no  more  measly 
hounds  around.  Should've  thought  they  wuz  all 


STEWED    CHICKEN.  261 

starved  out  long  ago.  My!  but  that  chicken  does 
smell  so  nice.  How  Si  and  Shorty  will  enjoy  it. 
It'll  build  'em  right  up.  I'd  like  awfully  to  take  some 
of  it  myself,  but  they'll  need  every  drop,  poor  fel 
lows." 

He  got  a  spoon,  and  teasted  some  of  the  broth 
appreciatively. 

"Mother'd  done  much  better,  at  home  in  her  own 
kitchen,  or  anywhere  you  could've  put  her,  than  me 
with  my  clumsy  ways,"  he  continued,  "but  she  never 
cooked  anything  that'll  taste  better  to  them  boys." 

A  negro  cook  appeared,  with  a  tin  cup  in  his  hand. 

"Afo'  de  Lawd,  Boss,  is  hit  you  dat's  cookin'  dat 
chicking?  I  done  smelled  hit  more'n  a  miled  away, 
and  hab  been  huntin'  foh  hit  all  ober  camp.  Say, 
Boss,  foh  de  Lawd's  sake,  jist  gib  me  a  little  teenty, 
weenty  sup  in  dis  heah  tin  cup  for  my  boss.  He's 
an  ossifer,  an'  is  layin'  in  de  ossifer's  horsepitol 
ober  dar.  Hit'll  do  him  a  powerful  sight  ob  good." 

"Awful  Sorry,  my  friend,"  said  the  Deacon,  hard 
ening  his  heart,  "but  I  haven't  a  bit  to  spare.  Hain't 
got  as  much  as  I  need  for  my  own  son  and  his  part 
ner.  I  couldn't  spare  a  mouthful  for  the  General 
o'  the  army  even.  Let  your  Colonel  or  Major  send 
out  men  to  git  chickens  for  himself." 

"My  boss'll  be  powehful  disappunted,"  said  the 
negro,  with  his  big,  white  eyes  full  of  tears.  "He's 
powehful  weak,  foh  sartin.  A  leetle  sup  ob  broth'd 
do  him  an  everlastin'  world  ob  good.  He  ain't  no 
Kunnel  or  Majah.  He's  only  a  Cappen — Cappen  Mc- 
Gillicuddy,  ob  the  200th  Injianny." 

"Capt.  McGillicuddy,  o'  the  200th  Injianny,"  said 


262  SI    KLEGG. 

the  Deacon,  much  moved.  "You  Bay  you're  Capt. 
McGillicuddy's  man?" 

"Yes,  boss." 

"And  he's  layin'  very  low  over  in  a  tent  there?" 

"Yes,  boss.  Got  shot  in  de  thigh  in  de  battle,  an' 
den  had  de  feber.  He's  de  very  best  man  in  de 
world,  and  I'd  do  ennyt'ing  to  help  him.  He's  jest 
starvin'  to  def.  I  can't  git  nuffin'  dat'll  lay  on  his 
stummick,  and  stick  to  his  ribs.  I've  done  ransacked 
de  hull  camp  and  de  country  clean  up  to  Jineral 
Bragg's  Headquartehs.  De  tings  dat  I  couldn't  git 
wuz  eider  chained  down,  or  had  a  man  wid  a  gun 
ober  dem.  Foh  Gawd's  sake,  boss,  jist  gib  me  a 
half  a  cupful  for  him." 

"There's  no  man  in  the  world  I'd  rather  help  than 
Capt.  McGillicuddy,"  said  the  Deacon.  "He's  bin 
a  mighty  good  friend  to  my  son.  I  know  that  Si 
and  Shorty'd  divide  their  last  crumb  with  him. 
Look  here,  Sambo,  if  I  give  you  a  cupful  o'  this 
broth  and  a  piece  o'  the  meat,  will  you  git  down  on 
your  knees  and  swear  you'll  take  every  bit  straight 
to  him,  and  not  take  even  a  smidjm  of  it  for  your 
self?" 

"De  Lawd  be  praised  and  magnified  foreber,  but 
I  will,"  said  the  negro,  dropping  on  his  knees  and 
holding  up  his  hand.  "Swar  me  on  a  pile  o'  Bibles 
big  as  a  haystack.  I'd  radder  go  to  hell  on  my  knees 
backward  dan  tech  de  fust  drap  ob  dat.  I's  too  anx 
ious  to  hab  Cappen  McGillicuddy  git  well,  so  I  is. 
What'd  become  ob  dis  pore  niggeh  if  he  should  die? 
No,  indeedy.  Hope  I'll  drap  dead  in  my  tracks  if 
I  taste  de  least  wee  morssel." 

"I'm  goin'  to  trust  you,"  said  the  Deacon,  stirring 


STEWED    CHICKEN.  263 

up  the  savory  mess,  ladling  out  a  generous  cupful, 
adding  a  drumstick,  and  covering  the  cup  with  a 
piece  of  paper.  "Now,  carry  it  carefully.  Every 
drop's  worth  its  weight  in  gold." 

The  Deacon  looked  a  little  regretful  at  the  shrink 
ing  of  the  contents  of  the  kettle,  made  by  taking 
out  the  cupful,  and  said : 

"Mebbe  I  oughtn't  've  done  it.  The  boys  need 
every  spoonful.  But  if  it'd  bin  themselves,  I  know 
they'd  have  given  their  Captain  more'n  I  did.  He  is 
twice  blessed  that  giveth,  and  probably  they'll  git 
more  somehow  on  account  o'  what  I've  given  away. 
But  I  mustn't  give  any  more." 

"Say,  Mister,"  said  a  very  feeble  voice  at  his 
elbow,  "can't  you  give  me  a  cupful  o'  that?  It  smells 
so  good.  It  smells  like  home.  I  smelled  it  away 
over  there  in  the  tent,  and  it  seemed  to  me  that  if 
I  could  get  some  of  it  I'd  certainly  get  well,  though 
they  all  say  they  think  there's  no  hope  for  me.  I 
crawled  out  of  the  tent  and  come  while  the  nurse 
was  asleep  and  wasn't  watching.  They  won't  let 
me  get  upon  my  feet  when  they're  watching  me, 
but  I  fooled  them  this  time." 

As  he  spoke,  he  sank  down  from  sheer  exhaustion, 
but  still  held  out  his  cup  imploringly,  while  an  in 
tense  longing  filled  his  great,  blue  eyes. 

The  Deacon  looked  pityingly  at  him.  His  wan 
face  was  fair  and  delicate  as  a  girl's,  and  even  be 
fore  disease  had  wasted  him  he  had  been  very  tall 
and  slender.  Now  his  uniform  flapped  around  his 
shrunken  body  and  limbs. 

Te  Deacon  could  not  stand  the  appeal  of  those 
great,  plaintive  eyes  and  that  wasted  form. 


264 


SI    KLEGG. 


"The  Lord  blesses  the  giver,"  he  said,  taking  the 
cup  from  the  thin  hand,  and  proceeding  to  fill  it 
from  the  kettle.  "It  may  be  that  my  own  son  will 


'IF  YOU  DON'T  SKIP  OUT  o'  HERE  THIS  MINUTE  I'LL 

BUST  YOUR  HEAD  AS  I  WOULD  A  PUNKIN." 

have  the  more  from  what  I  give  this  poor  sick  boy.  It 
may  be  bread  cast  upon  the  waters.  At  any  rate, 
I'm  goin'  to  take  the  chances.  There's  still  enough 
left  for  one  meal  for  Si  and  Shorty,  and  I've  four 
chickens  left.  After  that  the  Lord'll  provide.  I'll 


STEWED    CHICKEN.  265 

do  this  in  His  name,  and  I'll  trust  Him.  There, 
my  boy,  let  the  cup  set  on  the  ground  till  it  cools, 
and  then  drink  it,  and  here's  a  piece  o'  bread  to  go 
with  it." 

The  boy  could  scarcely  wait  for  the  cooling,  and 
his  swimming  eyes  expressed  a  gratitude  that  no 
words  could  convey. 

"Here,  pardner,  I'll  take  a  cupful  o'  that  'ere,  too," 
said  a  frazzled  and  frowsy  teamster,  shambling  up 
through  the  half-light  of  the  dawn.  "I  smelled  it, 
and  follered  my  nose  till  it  brung  me  here.  My,  but 
it  smells  good !  Jest  fill  my  cup,  and  I'll  do  as  much 
for  you  some  time  when  you're  hungry." 

"Go  away,  Groundhog,"  said  the  Deacon,  recog 
nizing  him.  "I've  only  got  a  little  here  for  Si  and 
Shorty.  I  hain't  a  spoonful  left  for  myself,  and 
none  to  give  away.  Go  and  get  your  own  chickens, 
and  bile  'em  yourself." 

"Can't  have  any,  eh?"  said  Groundhog,  swagger 
ing  up.  "We'll  see  about  that,  old  man.  I  watched 
you  givin'  away  to  that  nigger,  and  this  little  dead- 
beat  here,  but  you  hain't  none  to  give  me,  who 
is  doin'  hard  work  for  the  army,  and  helpin'  keep 
'em  from  starvin'.  If  you've  got  enough  for  that 
nigger  and  that  whinin'  boy  you've  got  enough  for 
me,  and  I'm  goin'  to  have  it,  for  I  need  it." 

"You're  not  goin'  to  have  a  dumbed  spoonful, 
Groundhog.  Go  away.  I  hain't  enough  for  Si  and 
Shorty,  I  tell  you.  Go  away." 

"And  I  tell  you  I  need  it  more'n  they  do,  for  I'm 
workin'  for  the  whole  army,  while  they're  layin' 
around,  makin'  out  they're  sick.  You  give  me  a 
cupful  o'  that  and  I'll  go  away  and  make  no  trouble. 


266  SI  KLEGG. 

If  you  don't  I'll  kick  the  whole  kettle  over.  An  old 
fool  citizen  like  you  's  got  no  business  in  camp,  any 
way,  and  no  right  to  be  havin'  things  that  ought  to 
go  to  the  laborin'  men." 

And  he  raised  his  foot  threateningly. 

The  Deacon  laid  down  the  spoon  with  which  he 
had  been  stirring  the  broth,  and  doubling  up  his 
mighty  fist,  placed  himself  between  Groundhog  and 
the  kettle,  and  said: 

"Groundhog,  I'm  an  old  man,  and  always  have 
bin  a  man  o'  peace.  I  don't  believe  in  no  kind  o' 
fightin',  nor  molestin'  no  one.  I  belong  to  church, 
and  've  always  tried  to  lead  a  Christian  life.  But 
if  you  don't  skip  out  o'  here  this  minute,  I'll  bust 
your  head  as  I  would  a  punkin." 

Groundhog  retreated  a  few  steps,  but  still  kept  up 
a  show  of  determination. 

"What  are  you  foolin'  with  the  ole  hayseed  for?" 
said  another  teamster,  coming  up  behind  Groundhog. 
"Slap  the  old  hawbuck  over,  snatch  up  the  kittle  and 
run  with  it.  I'll  do  it  if  you  don't." 

"Go  for  'em,  Deacon;  I'm  with  you.  We  kin  lick 
both  of  'em,"  shouted  Shorty,  who  had  been  awak 
ened  by  the  noise  of  the  dispute,  and  came  tottering 
out,  trying  to  raise  a  stick  of  wood  for  a  club. 

At  that  moment  a  rebel  cannon  roared  on  Look 
out  Mountain,  just  over  them,  and  the  wicked 
screech  of  a  shell  cleft  the  air.  Both  of  the  team 
sters  dropped  on  the  ground  in  a  paralysis  of  fear. 

"The  rebels  've  got  a  new  battery  planted  on  the 
mountain,"  said  Shorty,  turning  to  study  the  smoke 
that  drifted  away,  in  order  to  get  its  location. 

"The  shell  struck  right  over  there,   and  hain't 


STEWED    CHICKEN.  267 

bursted  yet,"  said  the  sick  boy,  looking  up  from 
sipping  his  broth,  and  pointing  to  a  spot  a  short  dis 
tance  away.  "I  can  hear  the  hissing  of  the  fuse." 

The  teamsters  sprang  up  like  jacks-in-the-box, 
and  ran  with  all  the  power  of  their  legs.  By  the 
time  the  explosion  came  they  were  hundreds  of 
yards  away. 

A  column  of  dirt  and  stones  was  thrown  up,  of 
which  a  little  sprinkle  reached  the  fire.  Thousands 
of  voices  yelled  derisively  at  the  rebel  gunner. 

"They're  shootin'  wuss  and  wuss  every  day,"  re 
marked  Shorty,  after  judicially  considering  the  shot 
and  making  comparison  with  its  precedessors. 
"They'll  git  so  after  awhile  that  they  can't  hit  the 
Tennessee  Valley." 

"Shorty,"  said  the  Deacon,  "take  this  revolver 
and  watch  that  kittle  while  I  wash  Si's  face,  and  git 
him  ready  for  his  breakfast.  If  you  let  anybody 
git  away  with  it  you  lose  your  breakfast.  If  I  ever 
go  into  restaurantin'  for  a  bizniss,  I'm  goin'  to  find 
a  quieter  neighborhood  than  Chattanoogy.  I  ain't 
exactly  grumblin',  so  to  speak,  but  there's  enough 
excitement  before  breakfast  every  mornin'  to  last 
me  a  full  year." 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


Form  L9-42m-8,'49(B5573)444 


THE  LIBRARY 

UNIVEI- 

LES 


UC  SOUTHERN  REG  pNALUBRARY  FAC  L 


A  A      000025239    5 •        3   1158  00756  8511 


